


A Hopeless Kingdom

by JadeDraggy2017



Category: Persona 5
Genre: 'happy' bad ending, Amnesia, Angst, Beheading, Canon-Typical Violence, Captivity, Character's Aged Up, Crossdressing, Dubious Consent, Electric Chair usage, Electrocution, Flashbacks, Gun Violence, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Little comfort, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Oral Sex, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Content, Suicide Imagery, Sword Violence, Torture, Unreliable Narrator, auditory hallucinations, background Ann/Yusuke, brain washing, pegoryu is more in the background, the main couple is shuake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 07:03:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17955830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeDraggy2017/pseuds/JadeDraggy2017
Summary: In this world there is a palace, where everything is perfect. The queen lives on, smiling and cordial, the servants work tirelessly, the white and black knight protect the princess from harm, and Akira is cared for and loved by his fiancé, the prince, and his pet cat Tammi… But Akira knows something is wrong. He cannot leave the palace. He cannot go out into the world beyond like the prince. The white knight Sir  Robin Hood and the black knight Loki prevent him from doing so. The servants move about with masks on their faces. The queen talks in circles and goes wild with rage and sorrow. Akira remembers other people, violent battles, and a lover that never was… Prince Goro assures Akira he’s just sick. He needs to be rehabilitated until he can leave and rejoin him back in that world. But something is wrong. He feels his heart has changed. And that all hope is gone





	A Hopeless Kingdom

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Welcome to my piece for the Persona 5 BB! I know its LONG. I'm sorry. But I hope you enjoy it! Please read the tags! I did not tag this as 'underage' as for this work the characters are older than they are in game, and the two characters that engage in sexual acts are past the legal age of adult hood. Also just tags... in general, if you are familiar with my work please tags! I like to do things to people outside of the realm of 'comfortable'.
> 
> And please see the end for some notes about the work!!
> 
> Follow me for insanity:  
> [tumblr](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)  
> [@draggynamed](https://twitter.com/draggynamed)  
> 

 

 

 

_“_ _It was all just pretend, wasn’t it?”_

 

In this moment he’s paralyzed. 

He has been asked this question several times over the course of this trial. The case of his heart. It's just the two of them, and the figure in black plays all the important roles. His judge, his prosecutor, the jury, the witnesses. 

He has so much power, but he looked broken. He looked defeated as he slightly leaned over, left arm hanging limply, blood dripping down from the corner of a busted, black beak. He had to hold his weapon with his right hand, putting him at a disadvantage. 

_“I came for you.”_ The witness insisted. 

_“But it was never really real, was it?”_ The prosecutor asked. 

_“It was never really love.”_ The jury decries. 

_“And that’s why we’re here now.”_  

The last words come from the executioner, strangely unmarred like the rest of them. Standing perfectly tall, in a brown tailored coat and black pants and empty red eyes, he held his gun in his left hand, stronger than the rest of them. 

_“So answer me, before it’s all over…”_ the prosecutor, the witness, the jury all raised their right hand, gun aimed at his heart.  
  
_“Was it all just pretend to you?”_

  
  


Akira felt the presence of another body on his bed well before they announced themselves. The soft queen-sized mattress under his body shifted the moment weight was added and the bed springs continued to compress and bounce back as the weight quickly moved towards his body. Yet he wouldn’t get up to acknowledge it. It was so much easier to stay curled up under his comforter and sheets and pretend to still be asleep.

“Akira!” The weight finally reached his side and he felt a small skull steadily ramming itself into his shoulder as an annoyed female voice called out to him. “Akira! Get up! You cannot sleep until noon!”

The gentle headbutting continued, moving from his shoulder to his back, and then around to his face.

“Don’t make me call Sir Robin!” The female voice started to hiss at him. “I’ll have him pull the entire mattress out from under you!”

As much as he wanted to continue to pretend to be asleep, the idea of being flipped off of his mattress wasn’t pleasant. He had, in the past, attempted to call the bluff and found himself dumped on the floor. Akira groaned and shifted around under the covers as he dug his way out from the cotton and satin cocoon he’d wrapped himself in overnight.

Akira stuck his head out form the top of the covers. His shoulder length black hair was a tangled mess, but it always was in the morning, as it clung to the sheets all night long and built up an unhealthy amount of static waiting to be set free each morning. It hadn’t always been like this; his hair was short when he moved back into the castle a year ago. Back then it was just a short curly mess every morning.

He rubbed his eyes and grumbled at the small white figure approaching across the bed.

“Good morning, Tammi,” Akira stopped rubbing his eyes and got a good look at the cat. She was mostly white save for a black spot on her muzzle and two black back paws. Around her neck she wore a dark purple scarf. As Akira spoke, she sat down just within arm’s reach and raised her head to meet his gaze; her dark orange eyes securitizing him.

“Good morning! It’s almost lunch time!” Tammi stomped her two front paws against the bed as she spoke. “I had to lie to the Queen and tell her you had a cold! And really, you’re just in here being lazy! Again! I have half a mind to tell Sir Robin anyway! And have him take your mattress away! Make you sleep on the floor! Or a stack of crates-”

Akira reached out with his hand while she ranted. At first the cat moved away, batting as his hand in the process. However, the second time Akira was too fast, slipping his fingers under her chin and finding that right spot to get her to stop talking. Tammi’s words became a garbled mess of purrs as he scratched under her chin. She leaned her head down into his hand and her tail flicked back and forth causing Akira to chuckle.

“There, all better?” Akira finally had to pull his hand away when the cat had lowered her head to the point that she was crushing his fingers between her bottom jaw and the mattress.

“No,” Tammi rolled over onto her side. Her words were soft, despite still trying to sound angry. “You slept all morning. I’ve been bored all day waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry,” Akira pushed his bed sheets away to free more of his body. “I guess I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

“You did seem like you were tossing and turning a lot. Were you having a nightmare?”

“I think so,” Akira shrugged. He reached up and started trying to flatten down his messy locks by hand.

“What was it about?” Tammi rose to her feet again and this time came up to rub against Akira’s side.

He said nothing at first, weighing his options. He could tell Tammi about the odd floating castle, moving about through an ocean of towering ruins and the masked figures running behind him, and the prince…

At least it looked like the prince, though they were angry, broken, was demanding of an answer he didn’t have.

“Our wedding going bad,” Akira looked away from the cat as he lied. He could tell Tammi about the dream. But telling her meant she’d blab to Sir Robin, and he’d spend the rest of the day in rehabilitation. “You know, like it rained the entire time. And the Queen was wailing like she does when everything goes wrong. And my dress ripped.”

“Sounds silly,” Tammi covered her mouth with a paw as she laughed at him. “The Prince would never let anything go wrong on your big day. ‘Everything has to be perfect for the Prince, remember?”

“I remember,” Akira nodded before turning back to the cat. “He’s all about keeping things perfect.” Akira tossed aside his sheets, letting them tumble over the side of the mattress and onto the floor. Someone else would come by and clean them up later. “But for now, I suppose I need to make peace with Her Majesty.”

Akira’s bed sat on the far wall of an opulent bedroom. The queen-sized bed had a post at each end, supporting a canopy and drapes for privacy- though that existed in name only, Tammi and Sir Robin pulled them back so often to wake him he stopped drawing them shut ages ago. Out beyond the bed his room was covered with elaborately woven carpets to keep his feet from ever coming in contact with the bare floor.

Across from the bed there was a fireplace that remained unlit during the day, with a semi-circle of chairs around it and a small table with a chess board set up for use. On both sides of the fireplace there were bookshelves with a wide range of titles covering things from flowers to coffee to fictional heroes and various sightseeing locals around the world. However, they were locations that Akira could not visit anytime soon, due to his strictly enforced house arrest.

To the right of the bed, the adjacent wall was decorated with various gifts from his prince. Odd items he’d brought back from his time outside their castle: a stuffed doll of a frost imp with pointy teeth and a little blue hat, a few potted plants, pieces of art, and many cat themed trinkets or accessories. Akira had to admit he had a soft spot for anything that had a black and white cat on it. Tammi even had her own area on that side of the room, with a cat tree that towered over Akira’s head.

Akira slid off on the left side of the bed, facing his bathroom door, walk-in closet, dresser and a little area cornered off by a screen with a full body mirror.

This had been his room for a year now, just as the entire castle had been his home since he’d fallen ill.

In truth, he couldn’t describe the illness if asked, though its symptoms had been horrible. His entire first two months back he remained trapped in his bed, his body riddled with entropy. He was unable to move, barely able to talk, and worst of all his mind was filled with horrors. His brain was a scrambled mess that kept him tittering between dreams and reality, the waking world and the world of the dead, making it hard for him to discern when he was here and when he wasn’t. All he knew at that time was that he was in pain.

And at the end of those two months his first real moment of clarity came when he woke up in this room, tucked under his covers with the prince next to him, sleeping on top of the sheets looking worn and exhausted.

It was strange to think back at that time he had no idea who he was. He had no idea who his own fiancé was. Just that the person next to him was beautiful.

He was still suffering from that illness, though he’d come a long way since then. As far as he was concerned, he was cured. It didn’t matter if he still had a few nightmares or jumbled memories pricking away at his mind, right? They’d go away on their own. It was better to appear healthy in his mind, rather than let Tammi know he was having an episode and have to go down to the rehabilitation room.

That’s what Akira kept telling himself as he took a bath. The nightmare would go away. That strange room of metal and steam, where two images of the prince held him at trial by gunpoint, it would go away without treatment.

  
  


A short bath later- short by Akira’s standards, too long by Tammi’s- Akira was dressed and ready for lunch with the Queen. He had a closet the size of a small room filled with clothing and outfits divided up into rows of dresses, a wall of shoes, a wall of accessories; there was plenty to choose from, but he always found himself picking out outfits of similar colors.

“You always wear black,” Tammi walked along next Akira as he made his way down to the dinning hall.

“This has some red to it,” he looked down at the cat with a teasing smile.

He did always pick out the dresses that had black on them, there was something about dark colors that made him more comfortable. The dress in question was black, as the feline had pointed out, but from the top of the bust, and straight down the middle of the torso and down the skirt it was red. The colored center was lined with a thin trim of silver ruffled lace; the panned shoulders had showings of red between the gaps and the sleeves clung to Akira’s arms bound tight with a silver cord that matched the trim. The heels he wore were white, though no one could see them, only hear them clicking against the tile as he made his way down the hall.

Lastly, on his head he wore a crown. The prince gave it to him, well, told him it was being returned to him, though Akira felt he had never seen it before in his life. But the prince assured him it was his, the proof that he was the princess of this castle, and his lover. It was a silver crown, curved and curled so that the crown looked like a blooming lotus and the band around his head like it’s leaves. The petals of the flower itself were filled in with rubies, held in place by the silver.

The servants in the halls would bow their heads as he passed, their faces plastered with polite and comforting smiles that never changed, even when they spoke.

“Good afternoon, Princess.”

“Good day, Your Highness.”

“You look lovely today, Princess.”

He had to admit, when he first became aware of his surroundings again it was strange to have flocks of servants referring to him as the ‘princess’ of the castle. But he was assured he had to be, for he was engaged to the prince. So, Akira was given a title and appearance to suit his place in the palace. He’d grown accustomed to it and having the stockpile of outfits to try on was fun, like everyday was a masquerade. And of course, the prince always brought him back new outfits from outside the castle.

Outside the castle… Akira wondered if he still counted as a princess beyond its walls?

He hadn’t been off the grounds in over a year, though the prince came and went as he pleased. Akira was confined here until his treatment was complete. Though Tammi and the Queen were also always here with him, and at times Sir Robin stayed in the castle as well, it wasn’t really enough to make him feel content.

Both Akira and Tammi came to a stop outside the dining hall doors. One of the castle guards stood watch, wearing shining silver armor, he kept his face mask down, concealing his appearance; yet Akira could see a pair of gleaming red eyes between the slots.

“Will you please announce us to Her Majesty?”

The armored knight bowed his head, “Of course, Princess.” He turned pushed open the dining room door before letting his voice ring out.

“Princess Akira and her Excellency Tammi join you, Your Majesty!” The guard bowed to the side and let Akira enter the dining hall.

The room was large enough to serve twenty people, though at most himself, the queen, and Tammi ate within the hall.

At the end of a large banquet table the queen stood up and let out a long joyous sound of approval.

“My, Dearest Akira! You are feeling better!”

The woman stepped out from her seat, her arms up and open to receive him. The queen was always dripping with red jewelry. Every time she moved her arms or even so much as took a step it would lightly clink together, or glitter in the light, drawing one’s eyes to it. She wore it in the form of elaborate bracelets wrapped around her wrist, with a nearly invisible gold thread that held together the red round and teardrop shaped beads. They dangled for a good three inches off of her wrist. Around her neck she wore a similar styled necklace. The cord wrapped tightly around her neck, though it was so thin, it appeared the red beads were budding from her skin. From every red bead a line of them persisted, each one longer than the last, cascading down her neck and breast line for nearly six inches until the final long beads at the end, creating an illusion of a waterfall of glittering red.

The jewelry stood out in stark contrast against her white dress. The gown was much fuller than Akira’s, with a skirt nearly double in volume, not to mention she actually had a bust to fill in the chest. It was accented with gold rose and leaf patterns that were embroidered up the left and right sides of the dress, and in the sleeves and the lace. She had a high collar, that arced up around the back of her neck, and she kept her light brown hair tied up in a bun, woven with pearls. Over her eyes she wore a red veil at all times, from the outside it seemed too thick for anyone to see through, but it had to be thin enough for her to see out of. Her lips were painted the same shade of red as her jewelry.

On her head she wore a silver crown with no jewels. But the silver was bent and curled into the design of a rose in its center and leaves growing out to make the sides.

Akira approached her, stopping briefly for a moment to bow, before allowing the woman to hug him. He grimaced slightly as she wrapped her arms around him and he heard the jewelry clink behind his back. Her embraces were always so tight, it felt like she was trying to squeeze the life out of him.

“I’m sorry I missed breakfast…”

“Now, now, there is never a need to be sorry!” The woman pulled back and motioned to a seat, silently instructing Akira to sit. “I know you are not well, My Dearest. And I want you to recover so that your wedding will be perfect!”

The queen took a seat and raised her hand, in an instant a servant was beside her, springing up as if from the shadow of her chair. They began to pour drinks for the two of them, though the queen would never touch her’s. Tammi sat on a chair next to Akira on a cushion. A servant came to the feline with a bowl of water and a plate of fish that she happily tore into while the others spoke.

As the queen lowered her hand, her lips twisted slightly with concern, “You were unwell this morning because of your illness, correct?” The woman folded her hands together. “This wasn’t due to a bought of ‘morning sickness’ was it?”

Akira had to pause while in the middle of his drink. It always took all his will power not to laugh, or roll his eyes at the queen’s strange, impossible, fears.

“No, just a nightmare.” He set his cup down, “I promise you, nothing else.”

“Good! Good!” The woman unfolded her hands and laughed as another servant appeared next to Akira and set down a few plates of food. “You don’t want to ruin your future with anything unplanned. No, no, just- stay as you are, My Dearest! Don’t do anything that could ruin your union.”

Akira took a deep breath and nodded.

At one time in the past he had started an argument with Her Majesty, about how her weird fear Akira would have a child before they were married was absurd. Nothing he said seemed to get through to the woman until the end when the woman broke down wailing. The noise was so awful, like she was screaming about a bloody murder. Her entire body shook, and Akira swears her jewelry actually started to extend further from her body and her veil raised up off her face…

Though if he tried to think about it now, about what he saw under the veil he couldn’t recall. He only felt a sick sense of dread twisting in his stomach. One that warned him it was better to just never tread back into that argument.

“I don’t think the prince has ever once asked about children,” Akira started to pick at his food, “And I can’t say I’ve ever thought about them myself.”

“Its for the best! They are just nightmares.”

“Even the prince?” Akira asked her mockingly.

Yet the woman laughed, “Especially the prince! Oh, he was the end of me!” She continued to laugh. “He’s grown into something I can be proud of now. Oh yes, he’s second to none… But that doesn’t change the fact that back then, he was the bitter end of my best years.”

Akira pressed his lips together and nodded. He didn’t want to tell her he didn’t agree with that sentiment. She was his future mother-in-law.

To him the prince was perfect, always.

Maybe her veil kept her from seeing that.

  
  
  


A name escapes Akira’s lips, followed by a laugh.

This room is so different from his palace bedroom. It has creaky wooden floorboards under his bare feet, dust drifts through the air, the furniture is plain, and the decorations are sparse and mismatched. He does recognize the little frost imp sitting above a desk, but that’s all. Yet he feels happy, not unlike how he feels when he wakes up in his bed with Tammi.

_“Of course I don’t mean it,”_ he looks down at a screen in his hands. It reflects his old face, the short, tangled, black curly hair, his grey eyes, a pair of glasses. Behind his reflection there’s a series of notes-- messages marked back and forth exchanging sweet nothings and teases between two icons of a black bird and a black cat.

There’s a weight on his shoulder, and there should be another reflection on the screen. His eyes try to focus on it, but the image is only darkness. Faceless. Soundless. But still he hears it talking. He feels them talking.

The window next to him is open, letting in the cool autumn air, the season is just on the cusp of winter.

His right hand reaches up and tangles in the darkness, and a name escapes his lips.

_“It’s just part of the game, just until the twentieth I have to keep pretending.”_

Akira turned to face the nothing that was there. Even though he knew he was alone he expected a kiss, lips pressed against his, followed by grumblings and whining. But there should have been a soft playful impact, followed by warmth. Followed by happiness.

Instead Akira felt his forehead smack gracelessly against the plush carpeted floor of his bedroom.

He pushed himself up screaming and rubbing his forehead, while next to him Tammi laughed. Her muzzle hidden behind on of her paws.

“I do believe the princess is awake now,” the voice of a young man spoke up from behind.

Akira rolled over on the floor to first see his mattress turned over on its side, the sheets and pillows were on the floor with him. As he continued to rub his head, a figure walked around form the other side of the bed, wearing shining white armor. On the chest plate there was an emblem of the yellow bird, outlined in red and blue, and hanging from their left shoulder, the armor sported a matching blue cape. At his side the white knight had a sword sheathed in a pale blue sleeve and on his back a golden bow and quiver of arrows.

He didn’t wear his helmet, allowing everyone to see his face. Perhaps he wanted to show off just how much he mirrored the prince. Though his chest was much broader, and his arms more muscular. His eyes had a golden glow to them, and his hair was straighter, making it appear longer, and kept pinned back in a ponytail.

“Good morning, Princess.” The knight bowed once his eyes fell on Akira.

In turn Akira grabbed one of the pillows from the floor and hurled it at his head. “Sir Robin, get out!” Akira pushed himself to stand with an annoyed huff and turned to his ruined bed. “What’s wrong with you both! What if I broke something!”

“I would just heal you,” Tammi said, watching Akira attempt to set the mattress back on the frame.

“As would I, Princess. You know I am equipped with a number of healing magics… Specifically so that I can take care of any injuries you may sustain.” Robin approached the bed. He grabbed one of the corners pointing up in the air and easily pushed the entire thing back down. Once it was back in place he turned to Akira with a friendly smile.

One he did not return.

“Show off,” Akira started to climb back onto the mattress and the knight let out a disapproving noise. “What?”

“Princess… It’s the middle of the day.”

“I’m tired,” Akira leaned over the side of the mattress and started grabbing his pillows and sheets.

“I understand that,” Robin moved to grab the next pillow Akira was reaching for. He quickly grabbed it, holding it aloft to keep Akira’s attention. “Tammi informed me you seem to be having trouble sleeping.”

Akira’s eyes followed the pillow, and then settled on the knights concerned stare.

“I’m just… restless,” Akira pulled back form the pillow and started to pull the blankets around him. “It’s a bit boring here, you know? I don’t have much to do.”

“There’s lots to do!” Tammi snorted. She flicked her tail, “There’s a ton of books in the library, there’s lots of games in the Prince’s room! The garden’s flowers change every week-”

“All things I’ve done before,” Akira flopped down onto the bed. “Even my meals with the queen… I only go because she acts erratic when I don’t.”

“Hmn, so your bad nights are due to a discomfort with your daily activities? Nothing else?” Sir Robin put the pillow down and took a seat on the side of Akira’s bed.

He couldn’t say he completely enjoyed how close the knight was or his line of questioning, but if he had to pick between the white knight, Sir Robin, and the black knight, Loki, he would pick Robin every time.

“No, nothing else.”

“No strange events? No false memories?”

Akira could feel Robin leaning in closer, making him want to pull the sheets over his head.

“No, nothing like that. My mind is clear, honest.”

Akira could feel the knight looming over him, but he didn’t dare turn his head to look him in the face. It was bad enough Tammi was already accusing him of being unwell again, but if Robin started up, he’d be back in rehabilitation before he could blink.

“Can you tell me about your dreams then?” Robin wasn’t going to quit.

Akira took a deep breath, it figured the knight would not stop. He was tenacious, observant, and persistent in his quest for the truth.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Sir Robin. The dreams are just… Bad.”

Akira felt Robin shift off the bed and heard his armor clink softly as he stood, “Then I will schedule you to spend the day in rehabilitation-”

“No!” At the word Akira sat up, tossing and kicking his covers. “I don’t need to go!”

Robin was standing next to the bed, arms crossed, “Then tell me the truth. What is wrong with you?” Akira lowered his eyes; his sights fell on Tammi sitting on Robin’s left side. “Well?”

“I don’t know what to tell you. It’s just like all the rest. A person, who’s name I can’t say and voice I can’t hear, and their face covered in a mask of shadows. We’re… together somewhere? A little house? Maybe it’s a shop?” Akira rubbed the side of his neck and closed his eyes, his fingers tangled in his dangling locks of hair. “I remember he leaned against me, and he said something… But it’s so far away from me now.”

Akira looked up, feeling weary, “It’s all far away from me now. I promise.”

The knight and the cat looked at each other, “The false memories still persist. Though it’s clear they’re not that strong…”

“We should tell the Prince,” Tammi spoke up. “He’ll want to know your regressing.”

“I’m not regressing!” Akira snapped.

“Stay calm, Your Highness. We are not your enemies. The ones that did this to you are. We only want to see you better.”

“That’s right, Akira!” Tammi nodded, “You say you sleep because you are bored, and you are bored because you can’t leave… If you are well, then you can leave, understand?”

Akira reached up and rubbed his forehead, grumbling. He knew they were right. He could never leave the castle as long as his memories were divided like this. The only clear memories he really had started in the castle, everything before that was lost. Or came to him in such strange visions it left him feeling confused and ill.

“I understand…”

“Good,” Sir Robin nodded and uncrossed his arms. “However, I feel we can hold off on sending you for right now. His Highness is due back this afternoon and I’m sure he’ll want to see you fi-”

“Goro is coming home today!?” Akira leaned forward and grabbed the knight by the shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me that sooner!”

“That was the reason I was trying to wake you…”

Akira laughed and pulled back covering his face. It had been a week since he last saw the prince. “I’m sorry, I’ll get up right now.” He slid off the bed and pat the knight on the shoulder, “Thank you, Sir Robin.”

“You thank me now, but you always curse me during treatment.”

“Well you’re not the one who has to sit in that awful electric chair.”

  
  


Akira knew in his heart Sir Robin and Tammi were right. He did need to go to rehabilitation. Just hoping the strange dreams would fade away wasn’t enough. He needed help to purge them from his mind. And it didn’t just hurt him, as miserable as the experience was, he knew it also hurt the prince to watch. He could never think of a time when his fiancé looked happy to take him down the depths of the castle, behind locked doors, and sealed halls, and barred rooms.

For as long as he could remember being conscious for the journey down, they always kept their eyes on each other. And the prince’s face always looked like it was searching for something in his expression. A sign that this was over? That he was better?

Or an answer to a question that echoed around a steal grated courtroom.

Though Akira had questions of his own-- ones he felt he’d never get answers to. Why had his mind been altered in the first place? He had been told the prince’s enemies changed his cognition. That they came between the two of them. That they made them fight.

And he felt that was true, but it felt like so much more was missing.

Why change his mind? Why were they enemies? And while many of those false memories had been terrifying, involving monsters, and battles, blades and blood, rain and sorrow… Some of them felt pleasant. Like the nightmare from last night. Baring that he could not see the other person, and that the conversation felt deceptive, he felt happy in that moment.

What kind of cruel torment was it to imprint a false joy upon his heart, one that now kept him from living his life to its fullest?

He wanted to meet them, the ones responsible for this illness, but he had already been assured that they were dealt with. All he had to focus on was becoming better, so that he could one day leave the castle. And he and the prince could be married.

In spite of it being his home, when the Prince returned to the castle it was always something of an event.

The servants would all gather in the ground floor hall, the men standing to the right, the women to the left. Their perfect plastic smiles shined to reflect anything that passed before them. It was like walking down a hall of mirrors. Their faces reflected Akira was he walked by, then Sir Robin just behind him to the right, poor Tammi was too small to be reflected walking behind him on the left, and the queen trailed behind them both lined up directly with Akira.

He lead the way down the main hall, not to the front of the castle, but towards its back. The main doors were only opened to let him out into the gardens and the surrounding grounds, but the prince never arrived through them. No, Prince Goro always arrived through _that_ door.

The one Akira was never allowed to pass through.

Unlike the rest in their castle it was made of steel, and seemingly had no handle to pull or push it open. It had a thick steel frame as well, and just above it a bright, shining red light, that in the daytime seemed innocuous, but at night cast an eerie hue over the back hall. The closer Akira drew to the door, the less and less inviting the castle seemed.

There was something about this part of the hall. It wasn’t kept up as well, the servants were fearful to linger here unless they knew the prince was arriving. And how could he blame them? Even he dreaded this area, as just before the door Goro used to arrive and exit their home, the rest of the doors became bared, and led into darkened rooms where Akira was certain the shadows crawled to life, and he knew for a fact at least one room held the chair he hated so much.

But that didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was that Goro was coming home.

Akira stopped a few feet away from the door and took a deep breath.

Nothing else mattered in these moments. Not his hazy memory, not his fear of having his mind picked apart, not his questions of why or how all of this came to be. The moment the red light blinked over the door and it started to crack open nothing else in whole wide world mattered.

As the door opened, a nostalgic blue light spilled across the floor, bringing with it a long shadow that fell at Akira’s feet. If not for the fact his gaze was focused on the young man casting the shadow, he might have felt troubled by its jagged, angular shape around the hips and the long, curved extensions from it’s head. Yet he never saw those. He only ever took note of the figure in red and white and gold. How he stood with a perfect stance as the door swung open to reveal his smiling face, red eyes, and brown locks. How his red cape moved slightly, elegantly waving in a nonexistent wind. He only noticed how the golden crown on top of his head gleamed in the blue light coming from behind him, highlighting every curve of its design of a bird rising up, its upward extending wings fanning out to make the crest of the crown. While the head it pointed up to hold a diamond in its beak.

All Akira really sees, is that his prince is perfect.

Too dazzled to question why his chest feels tight at the notion that being too perfect might give way to a falseness hidden underneath. Like everything is just pretend.

Goro closed the door behind him, sealing away the blue light, and only allowing Akira to consider for a moment that behind him there is no indication of an outside but rather a set of stairs leading down.

The moment the door was shut all the servants bowed their heads and spoke in unison.

“Welcome home, Prince Goro.”

Akira grabbed the sides of his dress and curtseyed, though an anticipating smile crossed his lips. Behind him Sir Robin and Tammi bowed their heads as well. Only the Queen remained upright.

“Welcome home, My Prince,” Akira kept his head down. With the light sealed behind the door, the shadow that was once extended across the floor was gone. He looked down at nothing until he could see Goro’s black shoes come into view. Akira looked up, still smiling at his fiancé’s gaze.

Goro rolled his eyes for a moment, before extending his hand out to Akira, “Stand up. I tell you every time not to bow to me.”

Akira couldn't help but chuckle as he stood up and proceeded to throw himself at Goro. He only had a split second to react before wrapping his arms around the princess and joining in Akira's laughter. Akira kept his arms wrapped around Goro's neck and held onto him as he pressed their cheeks together. It wasn’t a very proper display for royalty to be so affectionate in front of all the servants, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered but Goro.

He was Akira's world.

“I've missed you.” He muttered, closing his eyes.

“I know,” Goro responded as he reached up and ran his fingers through Akira's hair. “And I miss you every time I have to leave.”

Akira slowly pulled back from him, still smiling, “We can fix that you know-”

“Akira-”

“You could take me with you!” Akira watched as again Goro rolled his eyes. “I'm well enough to leave!”

“I will be the judge of that,” Goro kept one arm wrapped around Akira's waist as he directed him to turn around, so they could continue.

Akira felt his lips twist down into a pout. He knew Goro would say that. He always did. Akira allowed himself to be turned around, just barely catching a glimpse of the black knight now standing at the steel door. Despite him not being behind Goro when he entered, nor present when he closed the door, Loki now stood watch over the only way in and out of the castle.

The knight stood in contrast to his partner, Robin. Loki was thinner, his outfit a sleek black tunic seemed to offer little defense, but upon closer inspection one could see it was covering a piece of full body chainmail. From over his shoulders a gold chain draped across his chest; it looped through rings on his outfit to hold it in place, and the majority of it hung behind him in a loop, mimicking the silhouette of a cape. His black leather pants were reinforced and padded, and his thigh high boots had golden tips and soles to them. The only piece of heavy armor he had was a helmet, and even that was narrow in its build. The dark steel covered the upper half of his face and came down to form a familiar point like the beak of a bird stopping just over his nose. There appeared to be no way to see out of it, there were no slots for eyes, yet there were red angular slits painted where they should be, and curving form its top were two long horns striped black and white. His upper lip was painted red, and his lower lip had a single red line down the middle. Sticking out from the back of his helmet were several long braids of light brown hair that cascaded down his back and over his shoulders. And at his side his weapon hung in a loose leather sheath that only wrapped the black iron hilt into place, the blade itself was left exposed. The red steel providing another bright image of color against the black knight’s form.

Though his eyes were never visible Akira always felt Loki was staring at him. As if waiting for something, some chance to strike.

Some chance to kill.

Goro continued to pull Akira away from the door and his second knight, back toward his mother.

The queen hadn’t moved since the prince had opened the door. Though a smile graced her face, she stood stiffly at their approach.

“Mother,” Goro bowed his head, “I hope you and Akira have been getting along well.”

“My son,” the woman folded her hands together, “Yes! Akira is such a delight! A lovely princess! A perfect match for you.”

They never moved to embrace each other. It was a fact Akira noted long ago. They were polite, and cordial, but they were not openly loving. Perhaps that’s way royalty should behave? Not like him, even though Goro insisted Akira should continue on as he always had. Still, it always bothered him, the distance that existed between the queen and the prince’s interactions.

“I’m happy to hear that, Mother,” he smiled at her. “I’ll be staying for a few days, I’ll do my best to keep our antics from disturbing you.”

“Don’t be foolish, my son,” she shook her head. “The only joy I have left is knowing that someone in this family will have a happy union.”

They didn’t say anything else to each other, not that Akira ever expected much at this point. The woman turned on her heels and left. As she departed the servants began filtering out as well.

From the floor, Tammi mewed with delight, “So now that Goro is home what shall we do!”

“Well we can’t do much,” Akira scoffed. “You’re only staying a few days!”

“I’m sorry about that, I truly am.” Goro turned to his fiancé.

“Your visits grow shorter and shorter… And I’m left here on my own longer and longer!” He threw his hands up in the air. “Why won’t let me go outside with you. Even if it’s just for a moment. Just for an hour-!”

“Akira, please,” Goro reached up and grabbed his hands. The prince rubbed his thumbs over the back of Akira’s palm’s. “I want you to leave the castle. Every day I’m out there in that world without you I think about you. I think about bringing you back. About what you’ll love to do, what you’ll hate, what you’ll want to see-”

“So then take me,” Akira leaned in close to Goro’s face, so that their noses were almost touching. “Do I really have to be one hundred percent in order to just look outside!”

Goro lowered his eyes, watching his thumbs trail over the back of Akira’s hands. “Please understand, if even just some small part of what they did to your mind is in you, even just the smallest… Being exposed to the outside world would cripple you. I could lose you. We could lose us.” He looked back up into Akira’s grey eyes. “And I can’t go through that. It took everything just to get you here-- to this point.  I don’t know if you could recover again.”

Goro’s words made Akira pause. The look on his face was one of fear. He was afraid for Akira. Afraid of losing him. But more than that the way his eyes went down and then lingered on him, distant and hopeless.

Akira found himself looking into the gaze of the broken witness at that awful trial.

“I-I’m sorry,” it was his turn to lower his head as he moved closer to Goro and put his forehead on his shoulder. “You’re right. I know you are. I’m just… Stir crazy. I just miss you so much… I’m running out of things to keep me occupied, so all I think about is you.”

He felt Goro’s shoulder shake as he chuckled, “You’re bored, are you?” Akira nodded, his bangs ruffling against Goro’s shoulder. “Then let’s do something tonight… I brought you another present. What do you say we put it to use after a party?”

“A party?” Akira pulled back shocked.

“Yes! A party. How about ball?”

“A masquerade ball?” Akira immediately suggested a theme as Goro took his right hand into his left and put his other on the princess’ hip. “All the servants can dress up!”

Goro started to move, turning Akira around in the hall like they were dancing, “I’m sure I can conjure up a few other guest.” The brunet shook his head with a smile, “To ensure the party is full.”

“We can dance the night away until we’re exhausted!” Akira tilted his head back and laughed.

“Not until we’re too exhausted!” Goro stopped spinning and pulled Akira forward until they were chest to chest before turning and dipping him down. “Don’t forget I brought you a present. And I plan to enjoy it tonight.”

Akira laughed before letting go of Goro’s hands to grab the sides of his face and leaned up to kiss his lips. It was a different sensation from his nonsense nightmares. Meeting his lover’s lips made him feel giddy and light headed. Kissing Goro made his heart beat faster with a rush of excitement, like he had just jumped from a high place and landed safely, or dodged a falling blade, or avoided being caught by a dangerous foe. Like he was taking a chance with his life. Not like the feeling of warm comfort and safety he felt in his dreams.

That wasn’t to say he preferred that feeling.

No, he much preferred the rush that Goro provided in him. And with that presence there was a strange guilt.

Akira’s thoughts were broken by the sound of cough.

The two lovers raised their gaze to see Sir Robin and Tammi still waiting and watching.

The feline snorted, “You two are so gross. You each have a bedroom for this sort of thing.”

“I suppose you’re right, Tammi…” Goro stood up straight, pulling Akira along with him. He released his fiancé and turned to his knight and his cat.

“Well, you heard what my plans are for the evening. Sir Robin, I would appreciate it if you would venture out into the royal lands and find suitable guests for our party. Tammi, would you kindly see to it that the staff is made aware of my wishes?”

“Of course, Your Highness…” Sir Robin bowed his head, but the cat did not.

“Do you not want our report on the princess’ current health?” Tammi’s tail flicked. Akira eyed her with agitation. She was perhaps too diligent in her duties.

“Unless there’s been a decline, it can wait until after this evening…” Goro started to wave them off before hesitating. “Has there been a decline, Akira?” He turned to the princess.

Akira took a deep breath and shook his head, perhaps a bit to harshly. “No. I’m fine, Goro. It’s just a few restless nights. As I said, I’m bored without you. I’ve already explained that to Tammi… Right, Sir Robin?”

Akira now turned to the white knight. He was his only hope at avoiding Goro’s entire visit being spent with him undergoing treatment.

“Well?” Goro also turned to Robin.

Without missing a beat the knight nodded, “The princess has been in good health. A bit lazier than usual, but well.”

Akira rolled his eyes and Goro laughed. “Then everything is fine. Please, see to the arrangements for tonight… Akira!” Goro turned back to his fiancé. “Let’s go to your room, shall we? I want to show you what I bought you.”

“Right now? I thought it was for later…”

“It is, but you can wear it under your ball gown.” Goro took Akira’s hand and pulled him past the knight and the cat.

He smiled, feeling his face turning red with anticipation of whatever it was Goro had for him now.

Yet as they walked away, he could hear Tammi grumble and turned back to glance behind them. Despite only going a few feet, Sir Robin was already gone, vanished from the hallway to complete his task. Only Tammi remained, her orange eyes fixed on Akira.

The red light over the door cast its glow over her, and the extending shadow from her form stretched out over the hall casting the image of a larger cat. The white feline opened her mouth and snapped it shut quickly in irritation, the resulting noise sounded of metal echoing down the halls after Akira’s footsteps.  
  
  
  


“Wait,” Goro stopped outside of Akira’s room. His hand hovered just over the doorknob as he turned around to smile at his fiancé. “Close your eyes.”

“Really?” Akira raised his eyebrows and smirked. “You want me to close my eyes?”

“Just play along, Akira. You’re so good at it, after all.”

He chuckled at Goro’s comment. It was mocking, maybe even insulting, but he did it anyway. Akira put his hands over his eyes and continued to smile as he listened to Goro open his door. The prince reached out and grabbed Akira by the hip and guided him through the door.

“This way, Sweetheart,” Goro leaned over and whispered into his ear as they entered the bedroom.

“I know my room, Goro. I’m in it everyday-” Akira stopped in the middle of his sentence stumbling. He uncovered his eyes, so he could use his arms to balance himself before he fell too far. Next to him Goro covered his mouth with the back of his hand and laughed. Akira quickly glanced down to see him sliding his foot back from where he had purposefully stuck it out to trip him up.

Akira stood up straight glaring, “You! That’s not funny!”

“I thought you knew this room?”

Akira put a finger to Goro’s chest and pushed, “You could have hurt me! I should have just fallen, and made you feel bad.”

“Don’t do that, Akira,” Goro reached up and enclosed Akira’s hand in both of his. “Don’t hurt me like that.” His face twisted up as he spoke. Like he was trying to smile still, but there was a genuine flicker of pain in his eyes. “I just wanted to have some fun.”

Akira pressed his lips together and looked away from the brunet. “Fine, but I’m still upset with you.”

“Perhaps this will change your mind?” Akira felt Goro’s hands on his shoulders and he was suddenly turned to face the right side of the room. He let out a soft sound of protest before his eyes fell on a large stuffed black cat sitting in the middle of the floor. Its mouth was stitched in such away that it appeared to have a little bit of a frown, and it had large blue plastic eyes. It stood at about Akira’s height holding a long white box with a bow on it.

“Where did you get that!” Akira immediately pulled away form Goro and circled the cat. “It’s huge!” His hands trailed over the animal’s plush fur before he stopped in front of it and looked up at the eyes. “Its gorgeous…” His bottom lip hung open as he stared into his reflection on the bits of blue plastic. He reached out to touch them tracing his fingers over them as he felt a warm sensation in his chest. “I love, these… The blue eyes.”

“I didn’t want blue, actually,” Goro came to stand beside Akira with his arms crossed. Akira turned his head away from the toy to look at Goro’s slight frown, “I wanted yellow or orange. But they were out. So… I had to settle.”

“Well I think it’s perfect,” Akira turned back to the cat. “It’s seems more… natural that they should be blue.”

He continued to study the eyes until Goro coughed beside him, “The cat isn’t the main gift, you know. He's just holding it.”

“He’s just holding…OH!” Akira looked down at the box. He had completely forgotten it. “Of course, sorry… You know I love cats.”  
  
“I know. They’re your biggest weakness.”

“Other than you,” Akira teased pulling off the bow from the box lid and sticking it on the cat’s chest.

“Yes, other than me,” Goro echoed back.

Akira pulled the lid off the box and paused. He smiled, but his head twisted slightly as he eyed the contents curiously. Inside he could clearly see black fabric and ribbons but-

“It’s an incomplete outfit?”

“It’s a complete outfit,” Goro tilted the box toward Akira as he took a step closer. His fiancé held him in a playful gaze, “It’s just not at ‘full’ as your others.”

Akira kept his eyes on Goro’s, feeling his mouth continue to stretch into an awkward, but curious smile. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to cover very much.”

“That’s the point.”

Akira laughed and turned away from him on his heels, “Goro! We have a party tonight!” Akira stopped turning. “I thought you said this would be something we could do-”“-You can try it on.” He cut Akira off and followed after him.

“How long are you going to let me try it on?” Akira backed away, still holding the box.

“Long enough to see if it fits.”

“And then?”

Goro shrugged, “And then I’ll take it off you.”

Akira laughed at Goro's words. At least he was honest. He clutched the box to his chest and continued to stay out of arm's reach.

“Well, I want to dance. So, you're going to have to wait.” Goro tried to grab him and Akira dodged out of the way with a twirl, leaving the other grasping at the air.

“You promised me a party, Goro!”

“And we’ll have it! But the party isn't until this evening,” he stood up straight and adjusted his coat before eyeing Akira again. “So, we can have a bit of fun beforehand.” Goro raised his hands like he was going to grab Akira and smiled menacingly.

“I don’t think you realize how long I plan to take to get ready…” Akira held the box tight and waited for Goro to move.

His right foot was already up and slightly pulled back as he watched Goro calculate how he was going to lunge at him. Akira wasn't going to be caught, however. He knew he could out maneuver his lover. But he knew Goro knew this too, so there would be a catch…

The prince finally charged at him having thought out a plan. He dashed forward first, and Akira stepped to the right. Goro turned and swiped at him, forcing him to keep moving his body further right. He extended a hand and started sprinting trying to grab the sides or back of Akira’s dress.

Akira turned and ran from him, laughing as he held onto the box.

“Is that all you can do?” Akira ran around the large stuffed cat and peeked up from behind it. “You know I can outrun you, Goro.”

Goro stopped in front of the cat and grinned, “I know. The only thing faster than you is gravity.” Akira made a questioning expression at his words, but never got to ask what Goro meant. Instead he was shown, as Goro pushed the giant stuffed cat over with a shove of his shoulder.

Akira yelped and jumped sideways to avoid the giant toy landing on him. Unfortunately, Goro moved with him and wrapped his arms around Akira's waist preventing him from running again.

Immediately he started to struggle, though not enough to break free. Akira kicked his legs and shook his head laughing with amusement.

“That's cheating!”

“That’s cunning…” Goro buried his face into the crook of Akira's neck and spoke. “You always knew I was more clever than you. That's why you lose at chess all the time.” He began planting kisses on the curve of Akira's neck, making him give up their struggle.

“I just let you win…” Akira took his right hand off the box and reached back to run his fingers through Goro’s hair. He continued to kiss up Akira’s neck, only stopping to pushed back some of the other's dark hair and expose his ear. Goro hummed for a second before giving Akira's ear a soft bite and whispering to him.

“Go put on your present for me, Princess… And if you're a good girl, I'll let you dance for me before I rip it all off you.”

Akira shuddered in his arms but nodded. That was fair, he guessed. It’s not like he was opposed to Goro stripping him; God knows over the past year he's pushed the prince into ripping a few dresses here or there…

After his fiancé let him go, Akira took the box and walked across the room over to his closet entrance and dresser. He pulled the privacy screen between himself and Goro watching as the other stood the stuffed cat back up and took a seat on the bed.

Akira set the box down and hesitated for a moment. Most of what he had to put on consisted of underwear. It wasn’t entirely out of place for Goro to give him something scandalous, it just usually came with an actual proper outfit. He wondered if something had happened that prompted him to change his routine?

Nevertheless, he began getting undressed, taking off his dress first and draping it over the top of the screen. He watched Goro on the bed for a moment, the other having pulled out his phone and was tapping the screen.

Out of everyone in the palace, only the prince had a phone. Akira felt an odd sense of déjà vu whenever he saw Goro using his. Like he should have one but didn’t. He was certain he had one in his dreams… And when he asked the queen about it, over all she seemed baffled. Tammi told him not to worry about it, as such a device was meant only for those that needed to interact with the outside world. Robin told him the same, and Loki… Well he never spoke to Loki unless he absolutely had to.

“Something interesting on your phone?” Akira leaned against the screen watching his fiancé.

“Just looking over messages from my father…” He turned to Akira and motioned for him to turn around.

He did just that, but continued talking while he removed the slip he wore under his dress, “You know… I was thinking…”

“About?”

“About your phone. You said the king communicates with you through it?”

“That’s right,” Goro let out a bit of a sigh, “He’s become a bit more needy over the past year. Due to circumstances beyond my control… If he can’t reach me, there’s a problem. And if he’s having problems the country doesn’t run smoothly-”

“Right, well,” Akira tossed his slip over another part of the screen, “What if I had a phone?”

“No.” Goro didn’t hesitate to turn him down. He looked up from the screen and shook his head.

“But if I had one then couldn’t we talk when you were outside the castle?”

“You don’t need one,” Goro frowned. “I told you this before.”

“But what _if_ I had one. I wouldn’t be as restless.”

“Akira.”

“I don’t understand why it’s such a problem?”

“Because I said no,” Goro set his phone down. “It’s not needed.”

“I just want to talk to you when you’re not here!”

“I am not getting you a phone, Akira! Not now! Not ever!” Goro stood up from the bed and Akira glared at him.

“Fine.” He turned back around and kicked off one of his shoes so hard it flew against the wall and the heel snapped. The second one he took off with a bit more care, but still tossed it over the screen.

“Akira…” Goro’s voice was much softer now, much closer as well. He’d walked over to lean over the top of the screen. “Don’t be angry.”

“Who said I’m angry?” Akira kept his back to him as he reached into the gift box and pulled out a black waist corset.

“I know you don’t understand… But it’s dangerous.” Goro held up his phone, “This device right here was the cause of all our problems to begin with. Just understand, I don’t want to keep you from having one as punishment. It’s just for your safety…”

“Like being trapped here?” Akira pulled the corset on and turned so his back was facing the mirror. Though he kept his head turned so he didn’t have to look at Goro, he just focused on tightening up the lace.

“You aren’t trapped here, you’re here to get better. Besides, this is our home… Are you saying you don’t like our home?”

Akira huffed as he let go of the lace cord and turned back around, “I don’t like that you’re never home.” Akira paused. “When I’m better, can I have a phone then?”

Goro thought for a moment, tilting his own phone back and forth in thought. “Yes. Once I know you’re well, I’ll give you a phone.”

At his words, Akira felt some of his annoyance fade. He reached out and cupped Goro’s face before grabbing him and pulling him forward for a quick kiss. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me until I get you one… Now finish getting changed.” Goro pulled back, chuckling. He resumed tapping at his phone screen and turned his back to Akira.

Akira lingered for a bit-- watching him, still curious about what he was doing on that device. But eventually Goro moved too far away for the screen to be anything other than a glare. So, he turned around and resumed picking through his gift box, though there was clearly not much left.

Not that there was much to begin with.

A pair of black panties that Akira felt there was a good debate on if they should retain that namesake without having a backside, leggings and a garter belt. Next were a pair of thigh high boots that felt like they were covered in crushed velvet. After that there were only a few bits left.

Akira pulled out a headband with a pair of cat ears made with the same velvety material as the boots, and after a moment of debating on if he could wear it along with his crown, he figured they wouldn’t both sit on his head. So, the crown came off and the ears went on. Next was a choker collar, a little black crushed velvet strap with white lace around the sides for trim and a gold pendant with an ‘A’ engraved on it.

He pressed his lips together and laughed. At one point they’d had a long debate about Goro putting ‘A’ on some of the accessories he’d given Akira. Did the ‘A’ represent his name or the prince’s? Clearly marking the A on the collar, Goro was thinking of himself…

Akira leaned closer to the mirror and tied the choker on. He held the gold pendant between his index and thumb and stuck out his tongue at his reflection.

“Ridiculous… As if everyone doesn’t already know who I belong to.”

He turned back to the box. There were only a few things left now: a pair of long black gloves that came up to his elbows, a tail and a little tube.

Akira slid on the gloves and then pulled out the tail and ran his hands over the long black material. It felt just as soft as the ears and the boots, but it had nothing to hook onto. The end of it was just a silicone bulb. One that when Akira squeezed, he could feel something inside.

“Hmn,” Goro hummed from behind Akira, alerting him that his fiancé had come back to look over the screen. “Sometimes I forget how perfect this view of you is.”

“Goro,” Akira looked over his shoulder, his fiancé was looking him over from head to toe. “I'm not done.”

“I know. You're taking awfully long for such a bare outfit…” Goro grinned, “I was worried you were chickening out.”

Akira approached the screen and held up the tail, “This is all that's left… But there's nothing to hook it onto.”

Goro chuckled, “You don't put it ‘on', Akira. You put it ‘in'.”

Akira paused, watching Goro’s face for a moment. He was smiling, sincerely. And Akira laughed.

“Goro! No! No…!” He started to push the tail over the screen. “You can't expect me to dance all night with this- this thing shoved up my ass!”

Goro snatched the tail and scoffed. “Such language. I'll have to tell Tammi to bite her tongue around you…”

Akira watched Goro walk around the screen to join him.

“Come on now, Akira…” He lowered his tone and whispered as he approached, “You like cats.  Don’t you want to be my cute little kitten for the evening?”

“N-not to dance!” Akira crossed his arms and turned his head away. “The costume is fine, but that tail-”

“What?” Goro reached out and grabbed Akira’s chin, gently pulling his gaze back towards him. “Its not complete without it.”

“I can wear it after. For you.”

“No,” Goro smiled, but his tone was demanding. “I want you wear it now.”

Akira hesitated for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

At the action, Goro’s smile faltered for a moment before he questioned him, “Why not?”

“What do you mean why not?” Akira motioned to the tail, “It’s going to be uncomfortable-”

“So?”

“So? How do you expect me to have fun at party when I’m, constantly thinking about the tail!?”

Goro laughed for a moment, his head rolling to the side, “Because that’s what’s fun about it. For me. Watching you, knowing how you’re feeling, knowing you’re anxious, knowing you’re excited… That’s the fun part.”

Akira pressed his lips together and didn’t answer. After a stretch of silence Goro spoke up again.

“I thought you wanted to spend time with me?” He lowered his gaze and frowned. “Didn’t you say you missed me?”

“What?” Akira gasped at him. “Of course I do!”

“Then why are you denying me this?” Goro continued to not look directly at Akira.

“I just don’t want to do _this_.”

“Maybe,” Goro kept his head down but glanced up at Akira, “You don’t want to do any of it?”

“What’s not what I said.”

“Maybe… you’re just _pretending_.”

Akira opened his mouth and a strangled noise that should have been the start of a sentence came out. He put a hand over his mouth and watched Goro raise his head again. He didn’t have answer. Just like he never has an answer in the dream.

“Well?”

“I-” Akira spoke against the palm of his hand, however he found he still couldn’t talk. He could just shake his head.

“So then you’ll do it?”

Akira nodded.

Goro smiled and laughed light heartedly, “I knew you would, Akira.” He held up the tail, “Then turn around, I’ll help you with it. So, you don’t have to ruin your gloves.”

Akira did as he was asked, turning to face the mirror and his reflection. He didn’t have much time to think about how flushed his face had become before Goro grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him forward. He had to put his hands out and brace them against the glass so he wouldn’t fall directly into it. However, the position meant he was nearly pressing his face to the mirror. Being this close only made it more evident to him that his blood was rushing to his face.

Not that he was nervous. Not that he should be. Akira was used to feeling Goro’s hands on his ass. It was a regular thing for them to have sex when he comes home. Feeling his free hand trail down Akira’s spine and then squeeze his ass was normal. Even welcomed. Akira closed his eyes and sighed.

Goro didn’t say anything as he continued to grope him. Akira was caught off guard when he felt him press a finger wet with lube to his hole. He let out a small gasp before pushing back against it and Goro spoke up with a laugh.

“So you’ll take this but not the tail?”

“Shut up,” Akira hissed.

He pushed back against Goro’s hand again, and he was met with a second finger, and more of Goro’s chuckling. But it was what he wanted. Every inch deeper in, every twist, every time he pulled out, Akira moaned and pushed his ass back in response.

“You sound just like a cat in heat.”

“It’s your fault!” Akira pushed off the mirror until his back was to Goro’s chest, making him pause for a moment. He rolled his head back until it rested on Goro’s shoulder and he reached up to grab the back of his head and pull him closer for a wet kiss.

“You’re away… too much.”

He captured Goro’s mouth again, his fingers scratching at the base of his scalp as he held them in place, Goro’s fingers still spreading lube over his hole until the kiss broke again.

“Akira…”

“Just, fuck me-”

“Not yet.” Goro pushed Akira forward, forcing him to bend over and grab the mirror again.

Akira’s hands slid on the glass and he gasped, agitated and trembling, “You wanted to a second ago!”

“I did,” Goro pressed the end of the slicked up bulb to Akira’s ass before shoving it forward and making him yelp, “But now that I know you want it… I have to make you wait.”

“Goro!” Akira’s fingers curled against the mirror and he hung his head. The tail’s end pushed and spread him open until he felt it settle at its base. Even still, Goro was twisting it around, purposely pulling it out a bit and pushing it back in, almost maliciously. Every instance to draw more and more noise from Akira’s lips. “S-stop! This isn’t- enough!”

“Are you sure?” Goro’s other hand dipped in between Akira’s legs and he pressed his palm to the bulge in his panties. “I think I can make you cum from just doing this.” Goro slid his hand up and down over the fabric, making him moan louder. Akira kept his head bent down, allowing himself to just barely see Goro’s hand toying away with his erection and the tail swishing back and forth between his legs.

He continued to gasp and cry out as he stroked him faster through the fabric, torn between telling him to stop out of fear he’d never cum like this or beg him for more so he’d reach his peak faster.

But Akira never got the chance to ask. Goro pulled his hand off the tail and spoke up, “You haven’t even experienced the best part.”

“The best-?” He was cut off by a sudden jolt in his ass. The tail.

The end of the tail was vibrating; the feeling caused Akira to choke on his next moan. He pushed his head up and look over his shoulder at Goro. He was holding a little black remote in his palm, and holding down a button.

“What do you think, Akira? Do you think you can dance for me, like this?”

The word ‘no’ failed to escape Akira’s lips, instead replaced with his tongue stuck to his mouth as he groaned. The vibration in his ass was growing stronger and Goro squeezed his hand around the head of his cock through the panties.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” He grinned.

Akira shook his head and pushed off the mirror. He couldn’t dance like this. He wouldn’t. Goro seemed to anticipate he’d fight back and pulled away, turning up the vibrator in the tail to its highest setting. The sensation shot through Akira, right up his spine. He stopped, standing ridged and gasped. He had to keep his knees together from falling over.

The new panties were stained with precum, and at this rate the entire outfit would be covered in cum if that vibration didn’t stop.

Goro stood just at arm’s length and reached out to grab Akira’s chin.

“You’re cute like this…” He grinned, “I wish my phone could take a picture here. I know someone who’d lose their mind to see you like this.”

“G-goro- please-” Akira grabbed onto his arm. “Off! Turn it off!”

Goro didn’t react at first, instead watching Akira as he trembled. And Akira wasn’t sure why. He stood, still holding his chin; flat smile and a vacant stare on his face. It wasn’t the look of someone that was excited or overcome with desire…

More like the satisfied look of someone stepping on an ant.

Akira’s knees failed him, but his hands still clawed at Goro’s clothing as he fell. He still asked him to turn it off and Goro still failed to react and he buried his face into Goro’s upper thigh to moan as he felt overcome.

Finally the vibration stopped, and Akira felt a hand run through his hair.

“Sorry, Akira… I suppose I got carried away. Do you forgive me?” Akira only nodded in response. Goro chuckled lightly, “Well if nothing else, it was cute to see you beg…” Goro pulled on Akira’s hair just a bit to get him to look up.

“We’ll find you a suitable dress to wear over that to the party.”

“…And the tail?”

Goro waved the remote back and forth, “I’m not taking it out just yet.”

“You two are also so gross when you come home, Master.” Akira peeked his head around Goro’s leg to see Tammi standing a few feet behind them. “You could at least put a hanger or a sock on the door.”

“Tammi?” Goro slipped the remote back into his pocket and turned to face her, “I thought I gave you a task-”

“It’s completed!” Tammi’s tail flicked, “So, I wanted to come report to you on the castle’s state while you were away.”

Akira stayed down on his knees, eyeing the cat.  For a moment Tammi looked from Goro to Akira, her orange eyes wide and innocent; a sign she had ulterior motives.

“I see,” Goro turned back to Akira and extended his hand, “Akira, why don’t you go get dressed while I hear what Tammi has to say?” Akira stared at Goro’s hand and contemplated refusing to move. He wanted to hear what the cat was going to say. He knew she was still itching to tell Goro he was unwell. “Akira?”

“Alright,” Akira took Goro’s hand and allowed him to pull him up to his feet. His legs still felt shaky and standing only made the tail shift around. Tonight was going to be miserable. Still, Goro placed a kiss on Akira’s cheek and urged him forward. He walked past the cat, and Tammi only glanced up at him with a smile as he passed by her.

Akira managed to make it into his closet door before he turned and leaned against the wall just to the side of the opening. The way the lights shone in the closet created a little shadowy spot on the wall that for some reason his mind felt was a decent place to rest; he felt if stood here no one would notice him. He reached down and grabbed the tail form between his legs and chewed on his bottom lip.

Goro’s idea of fun and games could be cruel at times…

“Since when do you need to report to me about the castle?”

Akira perked his head up. He could still hear Goro and Tammi’s discussion going on outside the walk-in closet. He slowly let his body slide down until he could bend down on one knee and lean closer to the open door.

“I don’t! I just wanted to report on Akira’s state…”

“You said in the hallway Akira was fine.”

“ _Robin_ said Akira was fine!” Akira could hear Tammi clamping her jaw again as she spoke. Her teeth snapped together making a constant metallic clang. “Akira is still having nightmares. So many, that he sleeps half the day just to get a decent amount of rest.”

“What are they about?”

“Lots of things… But Akira does say he can never remember the people in them. Everyone is distorted, or a shadow. He can’t tell us who’s in the dreams when he wakes up-”

“That’s good then.” Goro paused.

The entire conversation stopped for so long Akira almost wanted to peek his head out from around the corner to see what the two were doing. “What is your assessment?”

“Even if Akira cannot remember them… His heart is still heavy with emotional attachment. Nostalgic feelings are the hardest to remove. But he doesn’t understand what those feelings are for.”

“We might not ever be able to remove them all… But that’s good enough then, isn’t it? If it’s just a feeling-”

“No!” Tammi snapped. “Even those feelings, the weight of them, will ruin him. If you take him out of the castle, he’ll more than likely cease to be again! And you can’t even find where the regular people who are fading away go! There’s no promise Akira will reappear in his cell.”

Akira pressed his back against the wall harder and put a hand over his chest. The weight of his feelings? His heart was heavy? And a cell? He felt himself sliding down further until he was sitting completely on his knees. What Tammi was saying shouldn’t have made sense to him, it sounded like nonsense, and yet… Something tightened in his chest, like the cat was speaking on things he had experienced before. The thought of being trapped in a cell made his heart race.

“There is some good news…” Tammi started speaking again, this time a bit more light hearted. “When Akira says he loves you, he means it. The love for you he has currently outweighs all those old feelings. He is most certainly not pretending.”

“Well, at least there’s that…” Goro chuckled. “Tomorrow then, we’ll have to reassess the rehabilitation process. There must be a way to completely divide Akira from his old life. Thank you, Tammi. You’ve been a good girl.”

“Good enough for you to bring me back some sushi from the real world!?” Akira could hear the cat’s feet hitting the ground over and over. She was more than likely jumping with excitement.

“Yes,” Goro laughed, “Next time I’ll bring you sushi… Now go help Robin find a few docile shadows to fill the ballroom. Tonight, I’m just focused on having fun.”

“Right away!”

Akira could hear Tammi hurrying off and Goro’s footsteps coming toward the closet door.

He quickly used the wall to push himself to stand, getting to his feet just as Goro entered into the closet. He watched him stop and look around confused for a moment, like he really didn’t notice him in the shadows.

“Akira?”

“Right here,” Akira stepped forward and put a hand on Goro’s back. He turned around startled, and then eyed Akira with confusion.

“How long were you there? And why?”

“Sorry, I, well…” Akira reached behind him and grabbed the tail’s end, even just pulling it slightly made his body shaky. “Its really difficult to walk… Do I really have to dance with this?”

Goro covered his mouth with the back of his hand and laughed, “At least once.” He took Akira’s free hand, “And then we can go back to my room and remove it.”

 

Akira whined, “That’s hours from now.”

“You’re the one that wanted a party.”

  
  
  


 

Akira leaned with his back to a chair and sighed.

He was waiting in Goro’s bedroom for the prince to finish getting dressed for the party. He kept his ankles crossed and his hands just behind his back on the top of the chair for support. Every now and again he would lean back and the chair would tilt toward him, bringing the front two legs off the floor, before he leaned forward and let it fall back down to the ground.

“You could sit on the chair you know?” Tammi stood on a little table the chair was paired with. Like his own room, Goro’s had a little sitting area for the two to enjoy each other’s company.  
  
Goro’s room had fewer decorations than Akira’s, perhaps because he wasn’t as home at much. It was simply decorated with a few bookshelves, a fireplace, and the table Akira was waiting at. On the walls, however Goro had a few ‘trophies’ he displayed. Six to be exact. They were all hung up behind individual glass displays, each a unique and strange mask: cracked, torn and shattered in different ways.  
  
The steel one had a clean split down its middle creating to halves. The goggles had the green lenses shattered, but Goro kept every piece of the tinted glass to pose around it. There was a black domino mask torn length wise nearly from end to end, and its edges were frayed and the threads unraveling. The red cat mask, looked smashed, like it had been trampled. The ears were bent and the nose was pushed in making its shape barely recognizable. Next to it there was a porcelain fox mask that had been broken into three clean pieces with smudged red markings. The last one Goro had to tell Akira used to be a skull. He could barely make out the details in what looked like a melted and molded lump of metal. Maybe at the bottom, he could still pick out what looked like indents for teeth, and there was a small hole to the left that might have been one of the eyes.  
  
Akira used to always stare at them after he first woke up back home in the castle. Something about them held his attention. But as his treatment when on, and his time here grew, he became less and less fascinated by them.

“I cannot sit with this _tail_.” Akira shook his head.

He looked down at the outfit Goro had picked out for him, another black dress, however the skirt was short, stopping just at his thighs to show off the stockings and boots he’d put on earlier. The upper body of the dress was tight, but had a large portion cut out from the curve of his shoulders down to the halfway point of his chest, leaving a great deal of skin exposed. In contrast, the sleeves were long, coming down over his gloves. He supposed the outfit was pretty, but he wasn’t quite sure it was something he wanted to wear to a ball. He felt like one misstep and he’d be exposed to all the guests.

Tammi laughed, “You know I sit with a tail all the time!”

“This is different-” Akira let go of the chair and turned around to swipe at her.

“Come now, stop that,” Goro called to Akira from across the room. He’d stepped out of his closet just in time to see Akira and Tammi fussing at each other.

Goro’s outfit consisted of a red ribbed vest that he wore a long white trench coat over. The coat had a tall collar, and a three way split in the tail. He wore white pants and a pair of white matching boots and white gloves. In his hands he held a black domino mask with pointed ends.

Akira paused and studied his outfit, slowly standing up right as Goro approached. Tammi moved to the end of the table, ears slanted back with distaste.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” Goro stopped before them and turned around.

“Why _that_?” Tammi scoffed.

“It looks nice…” Akira reached out and grabbed a cuff of the coat, “It looks… familiar…”

“How familiar?” Akira looked up meet Goro’s eyes and saw he was studying his expression as if looking for something. Akira glanced back at Tammi and the cat’s ears were now tilted forward as she was doing the same.

“Ah, well…” He let go of the coat. “I just feel like you’ve worn it before.”

“Hmn,” Tammi flicked her tail.

“I haven’t,” Goro laughed. “But I figured I’d wear something white, to match your black.”

“You always wear white, Goro.”

“Perhaps I do,” He put on his mask, “And Perhaps I don’t… Here,” Goro reached into his coat and pulled out a matching white mask for Akira. “For you.”

Akira took the mask and ran his fingers over it before putting it on. It felt natural to have something sitting on his face. Strangely, he felt a bit more confident with the mask on.

  
  


The party Goro had arranged was bigger than Akira had imagined. Tammi had gathered all the servants and ordered them to don costumes for the evening. They all moved about the floor serving food to guests in silly outfits. Even those positioned on a small stage to provide music were dressed up instead of wearing their usual servant attire, and Sir Robin had managed to amass a small crowd to fill the ballroom hall with guests. Akira had never seen so many people from outside the castle. Actually, he had never seen anyone from outside the castle before! It was exciting to look over the crowds of masked faces, at a sea of eyes looking around the party, some confused, some delighted, but all gold.

“Where did Sir Robin get them all from?” Akira walked through the crowd, holding Goro’s hand.

“Outside the castle walls…” Goro waved his hand in the air, “There is a lot beyond the castle, Akira, even if you don’t remember it.”

“So all of these people are from outside? Where you go to?”

“No,” Goro shook his head, “They are just ‘outside’ the palace. But they are not part of that world.” Goro stopped them in the middle of the dance floor and pulled Akira’s hand so they were facing each other. “But enough of that. There’s no need to talk about the outside world when tonight is about enjoying everything we have right here. And about how far your recovery has come.”

He reached out with his free hand and placed it on Akira’s hip. In turn, Akira let his hand rest on Goro’s upper arm and at the start of the next song the two began to dance.

Akira and Goro held onto each other for what felt like the better part of an hour, dancing to each song along with the sea of golden eyed visitors. Akira was having such a good time he nearly forgot about the tail Goro had given him earlier, only being reminded of its presence when Goro tried to spin or dip him, and for just a moment fear would flare up that someone would see up his dress.  
  
These moments of fear did not go unnoticed by Goro. Whenever he dipped Akira, or opted for a more daring dance move, he would comment on the color of Akira’s cheeks. And then he would tease and remark he wasn’t talking about the ones on his face. It was torturous, yet Akira still managed to find some enjoyment in their dancing.

But despite how much fun they were having together, Akira couldn’t help but notice around the corners of the room Loki was moving in and out about the crowd, harassing any guest that dared to stop moving, occasionally brandishing his sword, or simply looming over any of the guests that huddled near the doors like they were waiting to leave. Every time he caught a glimpse of it he felt his chest tighten.

He didn’t like what he was seeing, and something inside him was urging him to go put a stop to it.

“Goro,” Akira spoke up between the next two songs, “Can we stop for a moment?”

“Oh? Are you getting tired already?” Goro pulled Akira close to him and wrapped his arms around Akira’s shoulders. “You can’t tire out on me from dancing alone, not when I still have your gift to enjoy.”

“Stop that!” Akira hissed at him and smacked his hand against Goro’s chest before looking around nervously. “Don’t let anyone hear you talk about that… No, I just, want a drink.”

“Ah,” Goro chuckled, “Then let’s go, there’s a buffet right over-”

“I’ll wait, actually.” Akira did his best to smile. Goro eyed him with suspicion and Akira sighed, “Look, all the dancing around has kind of made your present and walking a bit uncomfortable… So, can you get the drinks? And I’ll wait?”

The two of them stood in the middle of the dance floor for a moment. Akira kept smiling, though he could feel his cheeks burning with anxiety. After a moment Goro relented, nodding and heading off to fetch them both a drink. Akira sighed. He wasn’t thrilled about lying to Goro, it actually made him feel a bit sick. But he wanted to know what Loki was up to. Why the black knight was harassing the guests…

Akira turned away as soon as Goro wasn’t visible through the crowd and started walking toward the last place he’d seen Loki. He carefully wove his way through the tide of golden eyed guests and servants walking to and from with plates of hors d’oeuvres and desserts until he reached the back wall of the ballroom and a line of shut doors.

The visitors here seemed much less outgoing than those in the middle of the dance floor. Their faces behind their masks were either glum or jittery. They eyed Akira anxiously and whispered to one another as he walked past. However, there was no sign of the black knight back here now.

“Where did he go?” Akira stopped next to a pair of shut doors and turned around, scanning the area trying to find that dreadful black helmet.

“A… Akira?” A soft female voice called out to him and Akira turned around.

He came face to face with one of the guests. A girl, about his age, with long black hair in a ponytail held back by a pink bow. Her ball dress was pink, and fluffy, with sparkles sewn into the skirt; she wore a matching pink mouse mask and over her right leg she wore a brace around her knee. She stood with her hands laced together and her golden eyes fixed on Akira filled with a strange awe and hope.

“Akira? That is… You, right?”

“I…” Akira looked her over. Something about her made his mind feel hazy, “Yes. I’m Princess Akira.”

“Oh thank goodness!” The girl bowed her head and pushed her mask up to get a good look at him. “I- I wasn’t sure if I should come here… But I thought I would see you…”

“Me? You’re looking for me?”

“No,” The girl shook her head, “I’m looking for Ann. But wherever you are, Ann is, so… Ann must be here, right?”

Akira tilted his head, “You’re looking for Ann?”

He stopped and watched her confused. Ann? He had heard that name before, hadn’t he? Akira rubbed his forehead. That hazy feeling was getting stronger. Like the feeling of a limb going to sleep, only it was occurring in the front part of his mind.

“Ann…?”

“Please, you have to tell me where she is…” The girl kept talking to him. “I’ve been looking for her for a year… I’m starting to loose hope.”

“Who is she? Who is Ann?” Akira stopped rubbing his forehead and looked at the guest, confused. She was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

“Please! Akira!” She reached out and grabbed him, “You have to know where she is! I can’t keep going on like this… My heart… My world… Everything is falling into ruin… I need to know where Ann is!”

“I don’t, I don’t know who that is!” Akira tried to push her away, only to have the girl cling to him even tighter.

“You have to know! You have to tell me!” She kept shaking Akira so hard, and she was so focused on him that they both failed to notice a black shadow rising up next to them and the rest of the guest backing away.

“Let! Let go of me! Stop shaking me!” Akira tried to push her away. As he did so a burning red flash cut between them, striking into the girl’s arm and causing her to scream. Akira stumbled back and looked to his side to see Loki, his blade extended outward towards the girl in pink.

She started to back up, holding the fresh burn wound as the black knight turned his scalding blade toward her.

“Suzui-san,” Goro’s voice filled Akira’s ears. His displeased tone sent a shudder down his spine. The prince walked up behind Akira, and passed him without even so much as a glance. He was holding two wine glasses in his hands. “How did you get in here?” As Goro continued to approach the girl, Akira backed up.

He kept moving away from the trio until his back collided with steel. From behind, hands grasped his shoulders and Akira looked up to see Sir Robin was now directly behind him, holding him in place with an exasperated frown. He shook his head; Robin wasn’t going to let Akira leave. At his feet was Tammi, also looking weary.

“You’d better pay attention,” she warned him.

The girl, identified as Suzui continued to back away while Loki kept his sword drawn on her.

“I’m pretty sure I spoke to you on the other side… I told you I’d work on your missing person’s case.”

“It’s been months!” She shouted at him as tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I just want to know where she is!”

“I have to admit I’m surprised to see you like this… Did you manifest out of loneliness? Desperation? … Is this a new type of desire I’ll have to deal with?”

“Please…” Suzui dropped to one knee, she stopped hanging onto her arm and put a hand over her face, “Please I just want to know where she went… Akira! Please tell me!”

“Akira can’t answer you,” Goro tilted his head to Loki. “Remove her.”

“No!” Suzui looked up horrified.

“Only remove?”

“There’s no need to do anything else. I’ll deal with the other Suzui in the real world.”

Loki sheathed his sword and reached out for the girl. She started to scream and kick and Akira watched as the black knight hauled her to her feet and started to drag her away.

Goro turned back to him, all amusement drained from his face. He approached Akira and extended one of the drinks to him without a word.

Akira reached for it, his hands shaking and took the flute of wine, “T-thank you…”

“I think I’m done dancing for the night, Akira.”

Akira nodded, his eyes occasionally looking back over the ballroom trying to spot Loki and the girl he’d dragged away. “I-- I agree. I feel rather tired.”

“Shall we retire to my room then?” Goro smiled at him. But it felt like he was pretending.  
  


  


Akira barely touched his drink as they made their way back to Goro’s room in silence. Robin and Tammi stayed behind to help filter the guests out of the ballroom. Akira wished at least one of them had walked back with them. Not that he had would have spoken to them, but at least the silence between himself and Goro wouldn’t be as awkward with someone else there.

When they made it back to Goro’s room, the prince tossed his white trench coat over a chair before making his way across the room and over to the doors leading out the balcony. Akira watched him open one of the doors with a bit more force than needed before heading outside.

Akira lingered in the room proper for a moment, debating on what to do before taking a deep breath and following him.

“Goro?” He didn’t answer.

Akira slowly moved to stand next to him. Goro was leaning on the balcony banister, his glass in one hand held just below his lips.

“Goro? …Are you that upset?” Akira set his glass down on the banister and leaned in close to Goro’s side.

“Why did you lie to me, Akira?” He didn’t turn to look at him.

“Lie?” Akira hesitated. He wanted to say he didn’t lie, or at least didn’t mean to… “I just, I didn’t think you’d let me go see what Loki was doing.”

Goro chuckled and shook his head.

“Am I right?”

“You are… But what Loki does to maintain this castle is none of your concern.”

Akira rubbed his hands together, “The guests looked intimidated by him.”

“That’s his job.”

“That girl was terrified of him. Terrified for her life.”

“That girl is none of your concern.” Goro turned to glare at Akira.

“She knew me,” he pointed out.

“She _thought_ she knew you.”

Akira turned his head away and sighed. “I just- I just wanted us to have a fun evening together… You’re always away.” Akira leaned forward so his arms hung over the balcony. “And I’m always here. I had never seen people from the outside before. I just wanted them to be as happy about all of this as I was, and then that girl… I don’t know.” He hung his head and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Goro.”

They both stood in silence for a few minutes before Akira felt Goro’s hand reach out and gently tilt his chin back towards him. Akira met Goro’s smiling face. He felt his cheeks flushing as a smile crept across his face to match his fiancé’s.

“I forgive you, Akira… You know as mad as I get, I find I always can forgive you.”

Akira chuckled and slid his arms back from over the banister. “You say that like I’ve done something awful to you before.”

“Is that what it sounds like?” Goro pulled Akira forward by the chin to place a kiss on his lips.

Akira leaned into the kiss, happy to push the events from the party away from the forefront of his mind and to focus on Goro for the rest of the evening. He reached up to wrap his arms around Goro’s neck and felt his elbow collide with something.

Akira pulled back and turned his head just in time to see his glass tumble down off the balcony. He leaned forward for a moment, hoping to catch it, but realized it was gone before he could even react.

Goro choked back a laugh, he covered his hand with the back of his mouth and Akira huffed at him.

“Here, I’ll make it even,” Akira watched him pick up his glass and hold out over the banister into the open air before releasing it to plummet down below.

Akira laughed, “You know the maids are going to be upset…”

“Let them!” Goro brought his hand back and reached out for Akira’s. “It’s my palace. I’ll throw a whole bottle of wine over the sides if I want!”

Akira continued to laugh as Goro pulled him back into the bedroom proper.

He turned to face Akira and wrapped his hands around the back of his neck to pull him into a kiss. Goro kept their lips together as he slowly walked backwards towards his bed. Only stopping to tease Akira as they moved across the floor.

“And do you know what else I want right now?”

Akira tried not to laugh; he had his hands on Goro’s chest and slowly pushed against him as they fumbled their way back to the bed.

“No. Tell me?”

Goro stopped as the back of his legs met with the bed. He let his body fall back into a sitting position on the edge of the mattress and waited until he stopped bouncing to reach up and trail his hands over Akira’s sides. His fingers traced up along the open edges of the dress’ chest and up over Akira’s exposed skin, causing him to shudder.

“I want to play with my kitten.” Akira felt a heat rise to his face at Goro’s words. He pulled his hands away from Akira’s chest and leaned back on the bed. “Get out of that dress for me.”

Akira took a deep breath and nodded. He kept his eyes on Goro, watching the prince as he watched him and smiled expectantly. Akira took off the mask and flicked it away to land somewhere on the floor before reaching behind his back to begin unlacing the back. He watched as Goro dug one hand into his pocket and pulled out the little black remote.

“Hurry, Akira, or I’ll have to give you incentive to hurry.”

“H-hey!” Akira shook his head, “I’m doing it-” The end of his sentence was cut off by Goro pressing down on the button. The tail came alive again, buzzing within him and making him stumble back. “G-goro you’re not making it any easier!”

Goro laughed a bit, his lips curving up into a bit of a crooked smile, “Oh but I just I had a great idea. The way you moved when I pressed the button… I wonder if I can make you dance like this?” He pressed the button again and Akira felt the vibrating intensify.

He stopped trying to remove the dress and pressed his hands to his backside like he was trying to will the tail to stop.

“Ah-! Goro!” Akira’s hands fumbled with the underside of the skirt as he tried to find the base of the tail to pull it out.

Goro leaned forward and grabbed his elbow, “No. Don’t take it out. Just get undressed.”

Akira struggled for a moment, ready to protest, but ended up nodding. Goro released his arm and with shaky hands, Akira resumed loosening up the back of the dress. Now he couldn’t look at his fiancé. He felt his cheeks were burning and had to bite his bottom lip to keep himself from crying out every time he felt Goro adjust the speed of the vibrator.

Akira slipped the dress off and kicked it to the side before holding himself up right, though off balance. Goro reached out for him placing his hand over the middle of Akira’s chest and dragging his fingertips down over the waist corset and to the top of his panties.

“Ah, I’m not the only one enjoying this.” He pressed his palm against the bulge in the fabric and mused, “Have you been feeling like this since we started dancing or just now?”

Akira rolled his hips forward, grinding his clothed erection against Goro’s hand, “You- you never took care of me back in my room!” He hissed.

“I suppose I didn’t,” Goro pulled his hand away so he could grab Akira by the hips and pull him forward. He continued to play with the little black remote, his thumb still turning the vibrator up to a higher speed before dropping it suddenly. “Then let me take care of you now, shall I?”

Akira looked down and watched as Goro grabbed the edges of the fabric with his teeth and pulled back and down until his cock was free from his panties. He inhaled, and reached out with shaking hands to brace himself against Goro’s shoulders. Akira trembled as he felt Goro’s lips on him, as he placed kisses along his skin, up to the head of his erection.

“Ah, G-goro-!”

“Cats don’t talk, Akira,” Goro traced his tongue over the head, “The just ‘mew’.” Goro glanced up at him, “I just want to hear you whine for me.” Before Akira could say anything else, Goro closed his lips over the head and began to suck. Akira dug his fingers into Goro’s shoulders and gasped. He had to lift one leg and brace his knee against the mattress as Goro slid his mouth down his shaft --all the while still fiddling with the speed of the vibrator.

Akira jerked his hips forward and squeezed his eyes shut, “Oh! Goro-!”

This felt familiar.

He felt Goro pull his mouth back, before sliding forward again, pushing his erection toward the back of his throat.

And it should feel familiar. They’ve done this before. Nearly every time Goro returned home.

Akira rocked his hips and met Goro’s mouth as he sucked him off. The teasing from the tail was slowly being forgotten as he focused on the warm mouth wrapped around his cock. He felt his eyes flutter open and his hands found their way into the base of Goro’s hair.

_Akira groaned, watching him down on his knees, daring to kneel on that wooden floor he once called disgusting and filthy._

He closed his eyes again and tilted his head back as his hips picked up the pace, ramming faster into Goro’s mouth.

_“What will you tell the TV station, if I bruise your lips like this, hmn?”_

Akira opened his eyes gasping to the palace bedroom ceiling. He could feel a warmth boiling in the pit of his stomach and at the base of his spine. He was ashamed to think he was so close already.

_“Aren’t you ashamed? Doing that with him!”_

_“It's just part of the game…”_

Akira’s fingers clawed at Goro’s scalp and he started to whine loud enough that his voice echoed throughout the room.

_“It doesn’t mean anything with him… I’m faking it.”_

_“I still don’t like that you have to take it this far.”_

Akira felt Goro drop the remote and use both hands now to hold onto his hips. Akira’s body shuddered as he came, his voice cracking, and Goro kept his lips pressed tight around him to suck up every drop of his cum.

If not for Goro’s grip on him, Akira’s body would have sank onto the floor, instead he found himself being gently pulled onto Goro’s lap once he was done sucking on his cock. Akira’s body was shaking, and he felt that dull haze invading his mind again. But Goro was smiling at him. He couldn’t help but smile back.

“Do you feel better now?” Goro rubbed his forehead against Akira’s.

Akira smiled and gave him a slight nod as he felt his gaze fluttering in and out of focus.

“Good, I want you to feel good, Akira…” Goro pressed his lips to his.

Akira returned the kiss, gently pulling on his lover’s bottom lip before they parted. He looked at him in love drunk haze and ran his fingers through long brunette hair that turned short and blond at his touch.

“I love you, Akira.”

Akira closed his eyes and leaned in for another kiss, “I love you too, --”

But before Akira’s lips could meet Goro’s he suddenly found himself shoved away. Akira let out a cry and scrambled to grab onto something, anything and failed as he fell back onto the floor. The shock from the drop cleared away the haze in his mind and looked up at Goro startled.

Goro was looking down at him, his eyes wide and his expression empty.

“Goro! Why did you push me!?”

“What did you say?” Goro’s voice was flat.

“I asked why you pushed me?”

“No.” Goro shook his head, his eyebrows raised. “What did you say before _that_?”

Akira blinked, confused, he shook his head. “I said ‘I love you’.”

“That’s not what you said.” This time Goro spoke with his teeth nearly clenched together. “What did you say, Akira. Tell me the truth.”

“I just told you-”

“Akira!” Goro rose to his feet screaming, “For once in your life! Stop lying to me!” Akira backed up, crawling back on the floor. “What did you say!? What did you say just now!? Tell me the truth!”

“Goro!” Akira felt his heart starting to race. Something was wrong, horribly wrong. “Goro, calm down!”

“Stop lying to me, Akira! I heard you say it! I heard you say his name!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Akira felt his head hit a wall and he started to look left and right for someplace to run to, but Goro came up on him quickly and stomped the heel of his boot to the wall next to Akira’s head.

“This isn’t funny, Akira! First Suzui! Now this! Are you playing with me? Still? Is this still part of your fucking game!?”

Akira jumped as the foot slammed into the wall. He glanced to the side to see Goro had struck it so hard his heel had created a hole. He pulled away, tears budding up in his eyes. Why was this happening?

“I didn- I didn’t do anything, Goro! I swear! I’m not lying to you!”

Goro pulled his foot back and stomped down on the tail, but that didn’t stop Akira. He only hesitated for a moment before turning and scrambling to crawl away. The bulb end of the tail was pulled out by force as he tried to put distance between himself and Goro. Akira let out a slight distressed cry as it separated from his body.

“Why are you doing this!?” Akira managed to make it back to the bed before he got up to his knees. “Why are you attack me!?”

Goro stood still and watched him, the anger on his face slowly giving way to confusion and then to grief.

He hung his head, his entire body slumping and Akira’s heart skipped a beat. He’d seen Goro stand like that before, like something was broken in him. Like he’d been defeated.

“Akira… Is this all just pretend to you?” Akira held his breath. “Did you ever really care?”

“Goro!” Akira scrambled to his feet and started towards Goro, only slowing down just before he reached him. He carefully reached out and took Goro’s face into his hands. He tilted his head up and did his best to smile, though he felt tears running down his face. “Goro… I love you. I love you more anything.”

“More than anyone?”

Akira nodded, “More than anyone. I would trade the whole world for your happiness.”

Goro leaned into Akira’s hands and sighed. He put a hand over Akira’s and slowly stood up right and Akira smiled even brighter.

“Then, I have to take you down to the rehabilitation chamber.”

At those words, Akira felt his smile falter a bit, but he nodded. “I know… I’m still having nightmares about that time. Those thoughts… Wander into my head and ruin things. I’m sorry, I just, wanted us to have a good time together… I didn’t want you to worry.”

“It’s alright….” Goro did his best to smile. “I’ll get rid of them. I’ll get rid of every trace of those thoughts.”

  
  
  
  
  
The electric chair was kept in what was the loneliest room in the castle.

It was kept down on the base floor-- Just before the steel door that Goro used to enter and exit the castle, where the lights seem to fade, only the glowing red-light from above the door lit the walls and the barred doors. Behind one of those doors was the rehabilitation room.

Akira’s least favorite place in the castle.

After their fight, the two got dressed and Goro led Akira down stairs in silence. They didn’t talk, not that Akira wanted to. Not that they ever did for this journey. And the party had long since ended, so the castle was devoid of the sounds of music and guests. The servants didn’t greet them as they walked by, instead they kept their heads down, busying themselves with mundane task.

Perhaps by now it was because everyone knew, when the prince and princess walked by in silence, their faces lost for emotion and their hands clasped together, they did not want to be disturbed.

Akira never knew what Goro was thinking on these walks down to the room. Was he disappointed? Was he sad? His expression was always hollow and fixed on him. And Akira knew he wasn’t going to speak until he was strapped into the chair.

They stopped before the room and Goro had to let go of Akira’s hand to unlock the bars blocking the door. He fished a blue key out of his pocket and turned the lock. The iron bars squealed as they were pulled back, and Goro opened the door.

He stood still for a moment before motioning with his head for Akira to head inside.

Inside.

_“Sorry I took so long...”_

Akira took a deep breath and entered the room.

Inside the room there was very little. On the concrete floor there appeared to be a large blue and gold symbol, a letter, perhaps? But most of the image was smudged and scratched away with claw marks, burn and scorch marks, even parts of the cement where broken up and missing destroying what was once there. Around the cold, stone walls there were more iron bars whose tops, and bottoms were slightly twisted and bent, like broken doors to cells, but they lead nowhere. It was as if someone had designed this room to look like it had been part of a prison. Or that the prison cells had all been filled with brick and mortar, making only this room accessible. Or, the most illogical thought, to look like the room and been ripped out of one location and crammed into the castle.

Along the back wall there were five guillotines that were never used. Akira often wondered what they were for, but he never dared ask. Staring at the blades for too long made something in his heart and head crawl. Two of them were left with the blades up, but three of them were down. The one on his right had long white hairs from the mane of some beast still stuck to hole where a head would be placed. To his left, the next one had half a white cape dangling out the back and a broken spear on the ground before it. The one in between them, the blade was smeared with some black and red sludge that had dried over the wooden frame as well. There was one solitary piece of yellow fabric hanging out from the hole stained with he same black and red that was stuck to the blade.

Before them, in the middle of the room sat the chair.

The wood and metal parts on it were scarred black form use; wires and cables came across the floor and up the sides of the chair to connect to the head piece at the top.  It looked old and rickety, but it still worked. Akira hated that it still worked.

_“…But I’ve come to get you out of here.”_

“Princess,” Akira turned around to see Robin had arrived, along with Loki and Tammi. The white knight reached out with one hand for Akira’s and extended his other. “Let me help you.”

Akira glanced around again until his eyes fell on Goro, who’d taken up a position against the wall next to the chair’s control box. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Akira let Robin lead him to the chair.

“I just have to make sure you’re secure, so that you do not hurt yourself during the process.”

“I know.” Akira watched Robin close the chair’s iron clasp around his wrist and ankles, around his arms and torso and waist.

“For how long will you do this?” Loki took up a spot on the opposite wall from Goro.

“I think five minutes should be enough,” Goro crossed his arms and turned his head away.

“You should go for longer. Until the root of the problem is extracted. You know this will keep happening until you pull out that _first_ one.”

“He can’t do that, Loki,” Tammi hissed. “Even if this process is slow, we have to take our time for Akira’s health.”

The black knight scoffed and crossed his arms and looked away.

“All set,” Robin announced as he lowered the head piece down onto Akira’s skull. He pulled the last strap around Akira’s chin and did his best to smile.

“Right then…” Goro turned his attention back to Akira. “We’re only going to do this for five minutes, Akira. Do you think you can last?”

“I can,” Akira felt his heart racing. His hands clutched at the arms of the chair. He wanted to run or to struggle, but he knew it was useless.

“Alright then…” Goro reached up and grabbed onto the switch for the chair and hesitated. “Akira,” He turned to look at his fiancé and smiled. “Don’t forget that I love you.”

Akira took a deep breath and smiled, “I know.”

Goro pulled down the lever.

Akira’s entire body jolted from shock. The endless surge of electricity being poured into his body came at him like a wave from the ocean. It submerged his body, his senses, his thoughts. All he could see were sparks and stars. He could barely hear himself screaming over the buzzing surge in his ears.

“That’s twenty seconds.” He could hear Robin keeping track of the time.

The fringes of his vision started to turn black and then white.

“That’s thirty-five…” Loki spoke. But he sounds so much like Robin.

_“You’ll have less than five minutes to make the switch.”_

“That’s one minute.” Akira heard Tammi. Her paws echoed around the chamber as she paced the room, continuously snapping her jaw again and again. A horrible metal chomping followed. “I still don’t see one.”

Akira couldn’t tell if his eyes were open or closed. The sparks faded away into the white and the voice keeping track of time gave way into a myriad of conversations and voices and ghosts.

_“It’s just until the twentieth. We all agreed this is what’s best.”_

Akira stood in that dusty attic, looking at an empty chair that was somehow balancing itself on its back legs.

_“I hate that he’s into you.”_ The chair argued back to him. As it dropped down the sparks in his eyes flared up and he could see the image of a boy. Black and red and blond.   _“Just let me kick his ‘effin ass.”_

_“We would never get the information that way.”_

Something was sitting on Akira’s face. It felt light, but there was a weight to it. It felt like nothing, but it felt as if it contained hundreds of thoughts, ideals, experiences, people. It burned around his eyes as the electricity coursed through his face, twisting and contorting his expression. He wanted to rip it off.

And leave a trail of blood draining down his cheeks.

_“We have to get the layout of that interrogation room today.”_

Akira sat on a bed in a room where there was clearly no place to sit. The chair in front of him was swiveling back and forth on its wheels. The monitor behind it had endless lines of text going against a black screen.

_“You do have a plan, don’t you?”_

Again the sparks came into his vision, and he could see them gather together in the form of black and orange and reflective lenses staring back at him.

_“Dome town. This all started with pancakes, I figured it’d be pretty funny.”_

“I see one.” Akira could hear that metal jaw clamping again.

“Three minutes and forty seconds.”

“It’s taking shape, I feel it… Oh, its heavy… I want it!” At the end of every sentence the metal sound grew louder, followed by a hungry growling.

_“Hey, let’s talk to for a minute.”_

Akira stopped in a hallway where a sea of black and white uniforms avoided him, rushing past and cutting around him in fear. For a moment he could make out red leggings, and white jacket and blue eyes before the sparks removed everything and he was left talking to an empty hallway.

_“—says you’re acting different… You’re not getting second thoughts, are you?”_

_“Never. I just have to make sure these last few days he suspects nothing. We’re in the home stretch…”_

_“It’s all just--”_

“Four minutes! Here it comes!”

Akira doesn’t know how his body survives this ordeal-- the electricity ripping through his head, pushing its way back out through his eyes. It creates a weight. The sparks run through him and strip him of something. Its intangible. An experience. A thought. A face. A memory. A version of him he made that he'll never know again.

“Remove it! Loki!”

_“Tomorrow’s the big day.”_

Akira looks at a version of his prince that’s not quite as grand, but just as perfect. Lying on his side on a battered old mattress while the moon light filters in through the attic window.

_“I have a confession to make…”_

_“You do?”_

_“I don’t want this to end.”_

_“You don’t want the Phantom Thieves to end? But I thought-”_

_“No. Us… The Phantom Thieves have to end.”_

Akira watched Goro sit up and reach out to touch the side of his face. _“But this. You and I… This is the first good thing I’ve had. I want to keep it. I want us to stay together-”_

Whatever it was that was on Akira’s face was ripped away by Loki’s hand. He was the only one that could reach into the sparking electricity and not be shocked as well.

Through obscured and twisted vision, Akira could vaguely make out him throwing something white and pointed into the air. It gave off a light of its own, like a blue flame attempting to take a shape. He can see a shield, an axe, a spear, a sword, all trying to emerge from the flame. Black horns grew from the fire and four hooved legs began to extend.

But it never grew beyond that. It never gets the chance. In a flash the burning figure and the white item it was emerging from were devoured by something massive. The white fur and orange eyes of a monster filled Akira’s vision. The creature’s massive metal jaw smashed the other figure, erasing it from reality.

The moment it was eaten, Akira felt something snap in his mind. In spite of the screaming, and pain, and shaking it wasn’t until that moment that he started to cry. Tears fell from his eyes as his mind tried to process that something was missing. Something important was gone. But the only feedback he could give was to scream louder and start trying to rip himself form the machine.

“Turn it off!” The monster shouted.

“It’s not been the full five minutes!” Loki shouted back.

“It’s gone on too long. You’re causing him pain now, Master!” Robin’s voice joined in with the shouting.

Again Akira could feel something taking shape on his face.

“Look, another is coming. Just keep going until you’ve removed them all-!”

“P-p-please!” Akira managed to stutter through his screams, though he was uncertain of how loud it was. “G-go-goro, pl-e-e-ease! I-I’m- h-hurting-!”

Akira thrashed in his chair. Goro didn’t respond.

“G-gor-o!”

He felt his head jerk back as the new item took a more definitive shape.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Akira’s body tried to rip itself from the chair in the final few seconds. He was unable to endure it any longer.

And then the electricity stopped.

Well after it was turned off Akira kept screaming. His mouth hung open and his body shook as his posture dropped and slumped in the chair. Water streamed from his eyes and mouth, and snot dripped from his nose. As his head fell, so did the object the electricity had extracted from him.

A white domino mask dropped to his lap. And before Akira could think twice about its black markings and pointed frames, Goro reached down and grabbed it.

He could barely lift his head, his eyes unable to focus as he blinked repeatedly, to watch Goro snap it in half and hold the pieces up. From over his shoulder Akira could see the blurred white figure of a monster and its metal mouth reaching forward to gobble up the mask.

“Not as heavy as Chi You… A small one.” It answered in rough female voice.

Goro reached forward and took Akira’s chin into his hands and made him focus on him.

“Are you alright, Akira?” Akira tried to speak now, but his mouth only moved enough for him to faintly groan. Goro smiled.

“Let’s get you out of this then and take you up to your room to rest…”

Goro let go of Akira’s chin, and once again let his head drop. He listened dully to the sounds of the restrains being loosened and made no effort to help Goro lift his limp body from the chair. Akira couldn’t feel his limbs. All his senses were shutting down. Goro shifted him so that his head rested on his shoulder as he carried him from the room.

Akira closed his eyes. He felt so tired and worn. Everything felt broken.

_“Akira.”_

Akira rubbed his eyes as he set his glasses on the windowsill. It still hurt to move. His body was going to be bruised for weeks. _“Something happened in there, didn’t it? Even though you were in the Metaverse, you became closer to him?”_

_“…It happened again…”_

_“Again?”_

Akira turned his head to look at the black and white cat on his bed. His blue eyes reflected Akira’s battered and bruised image back at him.

_“Just for a bit, I could see into that world…”_

_“Oh that must have been scary. Well he couldn’t see you. So, you made it out safely.”_

Akira reached out and pet the cat’s head.

_“Can I make a confession to you, Morgana?”_

_“About what?”_

  
  


Akira sat in one of the chairs at the little table in his bed room, eyeing the chess board before him. He hadn’t done much the past few days. He never did much of anything after a rehabilitation session. He was too drained. It usually took him a full day just to recover his ability to move and this session was no different.  
  
Well, physically at least.

Akira reached out over the chest pieces and picked up the white queen. He studied the piece for a moment before setting it down in the middle of the board. He then picked up the black king and placed it next to the queen, before slowly going over the rest of the pieces with his hand and knocking them over.

Something was missing.

“Akira!” Tammi came trotting up next to him. She circled his chair to rub her face on his legs before jumping up onto the table. “What are you doing? That’s not how you play.”

“I’m thinking,” Akira didn’t take his eyes off the chess board or the fallen down pieces.

“Is this a new strategy to defeat the prince?”

“No… I’m thinking about myself. I’m thinking, something is missing since my last session.”

“Well, things are supposed to be missing, Akira. Your rehabilitation is meant to remove bad things from your mind.”

Akira rubbed his hands over his eyes and grumbled.

“Maybe you are just feeling bad because Goro had to go back so soon.” Tammi approached Akira and rubbed her forehead against his hands. He removed them from his face and sighed. The little white cat looked up at him, her tail flicking with excitement. “Cheer up, Akira. I know I’m hard on you, but I also know this is hard for you to do. And I promise I’ll stick with you until you can leave and be with Goro in the outside world.”

“Until I can leave, huh?” Akira smiled softly and reached out to scratch behind her ears. “Thank you, Tammi. Why don’t we go visit the queen? I’m sure Her Majesty would like some company.”

“That’s the spirit, Akira!” The cat leapt down from the table and Akira smiled. He raised his head to look down at the King and Queen piece.

“…The outside world… Is what’s missing out there?”  
  
  
  
  
  
Akira found the Queen enjoying a snack in the dining hall. Just as they had many times before, a guard announced his and Tammi’s arrival and the two joined her at the table.

“Oh, Akira, it's good to see you out of your room!” Servants arrived and set down plates of food before the Queen and Akira and a plate of chopped fish for Tammi before retreating. “Sick again so suddenly… I worry about you often, My Dearest.”

“I know,” Akira picked at his plate. A dangerous idea was forming in his mind.

“Were you troubled with nightmares again, Akira? You do get them often when the prince is away.”

“No, actually.” Akira set down his fork and turned to the queen. She had always been kind to worry about him. Though many of her fears had no basis. Still he knew that when she went into a panic it would take a lot to calm her down. Tammi would more than likely have to help the staff keep her under control. “It’s morning sickness.”

“Its… What?” The queen’s voice trembled as she questioned Akira.

“Akira!” Tammi shouted. “Don’t lie to her! That’s not it, Your Majesty.”

“I’m not lying,” Akira looked at the queen and did his best to smile. “I’m having a child.”

“Y-you- you!” The queen started to tremble. Akira remembered this from before. Next, she would start crying and screaming at him. “You cannot! You cannot do this!” She pointed at him as tears rolled down her cheeks from behind her veil. “You cannot do this! You’re not married yet! You’ll ruin your life!”

Tammi jumped up onto the table in a panic, “Akira! Tell her you’re joking! Tell her right now!”

“I know,” Akira slowly pushed his chair back. “I’m having a child, Your Majesty. Your son said he’s leaving me-”

“AH!” The woman put her hands over her ears as Akira spoke. The red jewels on her wrists and neck started to multiply as the gold cords tightened around her flesh, causing them to cut into her skin. “Y-you’ve made a mistake! You’ve ruined- _ruined everything!_ ”

The woman tilted her head back and started screaming, her voice growing louder by the second. Akira had to cover his ears and stood up quickly, causing his chair to fall over. Tammi cringed at the sound, her ears flattening to her head. Akira backed up amazed as the queen’s dress started to bellow and swell. As the bottom flared up, he could see eyes peering out at him. Seven sets of eyes to be exact.

They were followed by voices.

**_“You’ve ruined everything.”_ **

**_“Get rid of it.”_ **

**_“No child of mine, it's no child of mine!”_ **

**_“Useless woman… You’re not that important to me!”_ **

**_“You’ve ruined my life!”_ **

**_“A curse! A curse!”_ **

**_“You, disgusting, harlot!”_ **

“Akira! Get back!” Tammi jumped from the table and put herself between Akira and the queen as the woman swelled in size. The bottom of her fine white dress tore apart as seven red, horned snakes burst forth from under her. Their heads twisted and dripping in red and black ooze, and each wearing a golden crown shaped to look like a bird, the points curing up to form the wings, while the centerpiece was twisted back as if the bird had broken its neck.  Right where the creature’s neck was ‘snapped’ each crown held an opal. Upon their necks and torosos obscenities and insults and degradations were scrawled.  
  
They came forth roaring, but their cries sounded like the screams of infants.

The snakes rose up, pushing the queen’s body up higher, as if she was sitting on them, though they were clearly growing out from between her legs. Her long red accessories coiled around the beasts’ necks for her to control their actions with and her veil fluttered up to show her eyes were gone, instead revealing and endless pool of water from which her tears flowed. Her tears rolled off her face into a goblet she held in her left hand and her rose crown broke and splintered into a nest of golden thorns that stabbed into her hair. The resulting stab wounds caused the pearls woven into her locks to stain red.  
  
She continued to cry as she screamed at Akira, and over the wailing of the snakes.

_“Don’t you know what you’ve done! This will be the end of your life!”_

Akira felt his heart racing. Is this what happened before? He could only remember the crying and the screaming before he blacked out…

“Akira!” Tammi looked over her shoulder. “Run! I’ll calm her down!”

“But you- bu-but!”

“Run away, now!”

Tammi turned back to the queen as one of the snake heads flipped over the diner table. Akira turned to run as she charged at the cat. He didn’t look back until he swung open the door to find Sir Robin already trying to open it.

“Robin! The queen! Tammi!!” Akira looked back now to see a large white beast entangled with one of the serpents. It looked like a large feline, with a white body and orange eyes. Around its neck it had a long purple scarf, and its lower jaw was made of metal and shaped like a crocodile. The queen was still screaming as they fought. She hurled the contents of her cup of all her captured sorrows at the feline and the cat shuddered and slumped into despair.

“…Tammi?”

“Run, Princess!” Robin grabbed Akira’s arm and dragged him out of the room. “Go to your room and remain there until we have subdued her!”

Robin pushed Akira out into the hall and the door slammed behind him.

Akira stood dumbfounded for a moment. His heart was racing. He had to go. Not to his room, however. He grabbed the sides of his dress and started running down the hall. He felt awful. This is what he wanted, but he didn’t know it would be this bad. He didn’t know the queen would become that monster! But nevertheless, he was right. Robin, and Tammi, and more than likely most of the staff would be distracted, meaning he could go to that door.

He could go outside and see what was missing.

 

 

  
  
Akira frantically ran through the halls of the palace’s ground floor, the sound of his heels echoing louder with every step as he drew closer to that sealed door.  
  
The sounds of Robin and Tammi battling with the monstrous queen faded away, the servants were no longer wandering the halls, the lights dimmed, everything faded until he stood before that door.  
  
_“I have a confession to make.”_ _  
_  
“Goro… You’re just through here, right?”  
  
Akira put his hand on the door and tried to push it open first. When it didn’t budge, he ran his hands along the seam trying to see if he could grab and pull it. He felt his fingertips and nails scraping at the metal as he did his best to get some leverage and pull the door open. It was difficult, but he did eventually manage to crack the door open, allowing that eerie blue light to flood into the hallway.  
  
Akira peered into the doorway, really taking it in for the first time. Yet it felt like he had seen it before. A long dark blue hallway, and a set of stairs leading downward.  
  
He paused for a moment before stepping into the hall and onto the first stair.  
  
There was no sound, something he found unnerving. He felt there should be sound. Akira took a few steps down and the door closed behind him. He turned back to eye it but had no desire to try and reopen it. Instead he opted to continue forward; he started humming to himself a wordless tune to create the noise he felt should be present.  
  
It was a song he never knew, but the melody came from his lips in a consistent loop. An unknown aria from an unknown singer and a nameless composer.  
  
He kept humming until he reached the bottom of the stairs and entered what must have been the main room of this strange place. It was large circular room, with a flickering light hanging over head. The floor looked like it had been destroyed and a large circular shape had been cut into the ground where part of the stone floor had been removed. Akira dragged the bottom of his shoe over what looked like faded and smeared blue paint.  
  
A quick glance around the room revealed that it was surrounded by several smaller boxed quarters. Individual cells, but the bars were missing from the doors. Akira could see where they were connected but had been twisted off and broken.  
  
Slowly he walked around the circular room until he reached one cell that seemed familiar.  
  
_“Akira?”_  
  
“Goro?” Akira looked around confused. He heard his fiancé’s voice, but he wasn’t present. Akira took a few steps into the cell.  
  
_“Well, well… Look at you.”_ _  
_  
Akira stopped and turned around. Behind him he could see the sparks from the electric chair clouding his vision. He had to rub his eyes to stop them.  
  
“What’s happening?”  
  
_“You tell me… You look like you’re in pain in there. Wallowing away in this cell.”_ _  
_  
_“Just what have you done?”_  
  
“Goro!” Akira looked around the room baffled, “Where are you!?”  
  
_“I gave my life for you, Akira… And this is what you do? You’re truly the most careless person with your emotions.”_ _  
_  
“What are you talking about?” Akira put one hand on the wall; it was becoming harder to breathe now.  
  
_“So what is it that you want?”_  
  
“I just want you, Goro! Please? Where are you?”  
  
_“…Would you really give up everything?”_  
  
Akira ran out of the cell, he couldn’t stand hearing Goro talk to him without being there anymore. He ran out into the destroyed circle and fell on the busted ground.  
  
“What is this place? Some sort of prison?” Akira looked around distressed. “I thought I’d make it outside! I thought I would find what I needed to leave here!”  
  
Akira sighed, he lowered his head. “I would give anything to get out of here. To be with you.”  
  
_“Don’t do this, Trickster.”_ _  
_  
Akira lifted his head, and again was met with sparks filling his vision. He could feel the electricity trying to force something forward and out.  
  
_“You cannot do this, humanity needs you.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Humanity… needs Justice.”_ _  
_  
Akira fluttered his eyes for a moment, just catching the image of a heart broken little girl dressed in blue, her long blond hair shaking as she shook her head.  
  
Akira got to his feet and continued to circle the room. He had to find a way out of here. He couldn’t let these strange memories trap him down here. As he scanned the room again, he realized there was a hallway leading to another set of cells across from the stairs.  
  
He walked forward cautiously, nervous that he’d start seeing or hearing things again. He passed by several empty cells until he did hear someone.  
  
Akira stopped before a nearly completely darkened cell. The light had gone out, and he couldn’t really see the figure inside.  
  
“Hello? You’re talking to me?” Akira leaned forward as the figure spoke. Though they had no voice, and it appeared that Akira could hear them. He could hear him. He could hear him complimenting his dress, and the composition of his look. He was pleased to see that even with things as distressing as they were, Akira still shone radiantly.  
  
“Well, thank you!” Akira chuckled a bit. He hadn’t been expecting compliments.  
  
The occupant of the cell again, offered up kind words about Akira’s smile. Letting him know that the memory of its brightness was one of his few comforts over this past year.  
  
“You say that like you know me?” Akira put a hand on the bars. “You do know me?” He was confused. “I’ve… never met you?”  
  
A piece of paper came fluttering out of the dark cell and Akira snatched it. On it was a drawing of himself with short black hair and boy he’d never seen before. Tall, lanky, and his hair swept to one side.  
  
“We were friends? …I was your inspiration?” Akira looked up from the paper shaking his head. “I’ve never met you.”  
  
Akira watched as more papers came flying out, too many for him to catch. Still what he could grab were more images of the boy. Images of him painting, images of him and Akira, images of the two of them and other people.  
  
“What is all of this!?” Akira looked into the nearly empty cell. “Your friends? Our friends? …The memories that allow you to keep existing?” Akira frowned and looked over the papers. “This can’t be right… You say all of these people are my friends? But my fiancé isn’t in these images.”  
  
Akira handed the papers back, only to have them blown back in his face.  
  
“Yes, I’m engaged! To the prince! To, Goro!”  
  
_“It’s a shame really. If you had actually sought help, you could have ended up with us…”_ _  
_  
“Excuse me?” Akira stared at the bars startled, “What was that?” Akira shook his head, “No I thought you said… Something about Goro ending up like you?”  
  
Akira peered into the bars, listening, his stomach churning as the obscured figure explained themselves. “Like us? A team? Be he didn’t because he was selfish? Is that what you think of him? You think he’s selfish?”  
  
Akira lowered his head as he still listened, he didn’t know what this person was talking about, but it made him angry, “Well maybe he didn’t have anyone!? Why do you just assume he didn’t try!?” He lifted his head and shouted at the person behind the bars. “Shut up! SHUT UP!”  
  
Akira stomped his feet, “I don’t care what you think! You think he should have been like you!? Maybe he had no choice but to be who he was!” Akira turned away and started to continue down the hall. As he did another piece of paper came flying out of the cell and pursued him.  
  
But this one Akira snatched out of the air and tore in half without looking.  
  
The hallway had a slight curve to it, and he could see where it crossed with another path. Still, he followed this hall down to its end, until he found a cell with a familiar looking girl locked inside.  
  
She was all the way at the back of her cell, sitting on the ground with her legs pulled up to her chest and her long red hair falling around her shoulders.  
  
“Um… Hello?” She didn’t speak. “Oh… Um, do you want to be alone?” Again, she didn’t speak. Akira stood, watching her for a few minutes before finally sighing and turning away.  
  
“A-akira?” He glanced back at the cell. She still hadn’t moved. And he almost hadn’t heard her speak.  
  
“Yes, I’m Akira… Do you know me?”  
  
“C-can you… Open this cell?” Her voice was barely a whisper.  
  
Akira glanced at the door before grabbing the bars and shaking it. “No. I don’t think so.” He stood still watching her. “Are you okay?”  
  
“No.” He could just barely see her move her head. “I can’t- I can’t be in here anymore… I miss Sojiro.”  
  
“Sojiro?” The name felt familiar on Akira’s tongue. The strange sense of nostalgia that came with it made him feel comfortable. He immediately felt sick that this girl missed him, whoever he was. “When did you last see him?”  
  
“It’s been… A year…”  
  
“I-I can try to look for him, for you? Is he down here?” She shook her head. Akira knew there were no Sojiros in the castle. That meant this person must exist in the outside world. “I see… I-” Akira sighed. “I can try to do something for you.”  
  
“Can you ask, Akechi to open the cell?”  
  
“Goro has the key?” Akira leaned in and listened to her.  
  
“Yes… Tell him I- I’m sorry. I’ll change. I’ll change if it means I can go home.”  
  
_“A power fueled by hatred and lies. I’ll never understand how you thought that was enough to succeed.”_ _  
_  
Akira pulled away from the bars and frowned. Something in him wanted to tell her Goro would probably refuse.  
  
“I’ll tell him; I’ll make sure he lets you go home.” Akira backed up from the bars. The girl never once moved from her position cowering at the back of her cell.  
  
What kind of place was this?  
  
He traveled back down the path, ignoring the darkened cell when he passed by it again and followed the curve to the other side.  
  
Here he was met with a girl sitting on her bed, her legs crossed and her back pressed against the wall. Unlike the other two imprisoned individuals, she seemed less distressed. She turned to face Akira as he approached, her soft auburn curls bouncing as her head turned.  
  
“Akira?” She stood up with a curious smile.  
  
“You know me too?”  
  
The girl approached the bars and wrapped her hands around them, “Of course I do… You’re acting like you don’t know me.”  
  
“The last two seemed to know me… But I’m not sure I know them.”  
  
“Well if you don’t know me, let me introduce myself. My name is Okumura Haru.”  
  
“Haru…” Akira muttered the name.  
  
_“I cannot forgive you for what you did to my father. And you will not get sympathy from me just because your own was horrible.”_  
  
Akira paused, “You… You hate my Goro.”  
  
Haru laughed, her curious smile twisted a bit into something sinister as she did. “‘Your Goro’? Oh my God. Is that what he’s been doing to you all this time? Is that why you’re wearing that dress?”  
  
Akira stepped back from the bars, sensing a bit of malice in her tone.  
  
“What’s it to you if he gave me this dress?”  
  
Haru snorted and then sighed. Some of that poison in her smile retracted, “He really is desperate not to be alone, isn’t he? I thought it was almost pathetic and sad how easily you duped him. I even considered for a moment he was right to lock us all in here when he came back- however he pulled that off.”  
  
Haru let go of the bars, “But after a year in here, no… No, I still have no sympathy for him. He killed my father, Akira. Whether you remember it or not, he killed many more for his own awful father. And he would have killed you… Eventually. Even if he didn’t try to in the interrogation room.”  
  
Akira shook his head, “What are you talking about?” Akira shook his head. “I don’t understand anything you’re talking about!”  
  
“What I’m talking about,” Haru kicked the bars with her feet. “Is that after a year in here, I know just what I want! You tell Akechi, if I ever get out-- even for a moment, I will take my axe to him like I did so many shadows! And I hope he screams!” She kicked the bars again and again.  
  
Akira shook his head and turned to run from her. But Haru kept screaming after him, kept screaming at him that she would get out some day.  
  
Akira hoped that by then he and Goro were far away from her.  
  
Akira crossed the intersection into the new hall and nearly ran past the next prisoner.  
  
“Hey!”  
  
Akira stopped and looked back at her. A girl with blue eyes and twin blond pigtails.  
  
“Let me guess…” Akira stood back from her, a bit more cautious now, “You know me too?”  
  
“I do! And I don’t…” she looked him up and down, “At least the you I knew never wore anything so pretty and expensive.”  
  
“Oh, thank you.” Akira smiled, but refrained from mentioning that Goro gave it to him. “Ah, that boy in the other cell liked it as well.”  
  
“Boy?” The girl’s eyes widened. “Which boy?”  
  
“Uh, I don’t know?”  
  
“Was he blonde? Loud? And obnoxious?”  
  
“No, he was just drawing things-”  
  
“Yusuke!” The girl leaned back, still holding onto her cell bars and sighed. “Oh, thank god, he’s still there. Last time Akechi said he’d nearly faded away and I started to panic! God, he won’t even let us be in cells next to each other!”  
  
Akira watched her press her forehead to the bars and close her eyes. He was certain she was going to start crying.  
  
“He’s important to you?”  
  
“All of you are… But yes. Yusuke is important to me…”  
  
Akira frowned. He understood how she felt. He hated being apart from Goro-- being down here for a year, so close yet so far away from someone he loved.  
  
“I’m sorry.”  
  
“Don’t be sorry,” she raised her head and wiped away her tears, “You didn’t lock me in here. Akechi did. I thought we were done with him for sure after that metal door went up. We should have made sure instead of just assuming Futaba’s readings were right.”  
  
_“It’d be a problem if you kept getting in our way. So, can you just make this simple and stop getting up so we can settle things once and for all.”_  
  
“You… You want Goro gone?”  
  
“Of course I do!” She clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth. “Just look at the world he’s made. Locking us all in here, letting his shithead father ‘be in charge’ while everyone follows the word of the ‘perfect detective prince’. It’s a lie. Like everything about him.”  
  
Akira wrapped his arms around himself, uncomfortable, and girl took note.  
  
“Oh! I’m sorry… He’s probably been treating you pretty well though. You probably think differently huh?” She laughed awkwardly. But there was no way for Akira to feel her friendliness was sincere now. “He always did have a soft spot for you… It drove Ryuji nuts. Even way back at the TV Station.”  
  
“R-Ryuji?” Akira looked down at the ground. “Ryuji?”  
  
“You… Don’t remember Ryuji either?” This time the girl fell silent. “Then he’s the one you should let out first.”  
  
“Let out!?”  
  
“Isn’t that why you’re here, Akira? To save us?”  
  
Akira looked at her wide-eyed. He had come down here for himself. He only promised one of them he’d let her out. And as for the rest, well so far…  
  
The longer he stood in silence the more the girl in the cell realized Akira was not going to let her out.  
  
“… Can you… Can you then at least go to Yusuke?” She was choking a bit on her words now, “Tell him I’ll always remember him. Even if the rest of the world forgets. I’ll always remember.”  
  
“I-” Akira paused, watching as her eyes clouded over. “I’ll tell him.”  
  
“Thank you…” She pulled back from the bars and wandered over to her bed. Akira watched her sit down on the bunk and hold her head in hands as she started to cry.  
  
He pressed his lips together, wondering if he should say anything else-- maybe at least get her name so when he spoke to Yusuke again… But in the end, he only backed away and continued onward.  
  
Akira continued around the cell block until he found another girl lying on the bed in her cell. She had her hands behind her head, allowing her short dark brunette hair to fall over the edges of the mattress. He was sure she heard him approach because she shifted slightly but didn’t turn to look at him.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hello, Akira.” She still didn’t move.  
  
“What’s your name?” He figured he’d learn the prisoner’s name this time.  
  
“Makoto. Nijiima Makoto… I know you don’t know me.”  
  
“You do? I mean, you knew I wouldn’t know you?”  
  
“Of course. It's not hard to glean from Akechi’s bragging that he was erasing us from your mind.”  
  
“…Goro was removing false memories. From people that hurt me. From people that pit us against each other.”  
  
“Is that how he spun it to you?” Makoto still didn’t move, but Akira could see a slight smile on her lips. “That’s pretty good. He’s convinced you like the rest of the world that we were the bad guys. Though I still don’t know how he pulled off changing everyone’s cognition at once… That one he still gives vague answers about. But still its impressive…”  
  
_“To think I was envious of your natural ability… But in the end your wit and strength were not enough to defeat us.”_  
  
“I should have made more plans to counteract him… But who would suspect your adversary rising from the grave?”  
  
“From the grave?”  
  
This time Makoto shifted her body to sit up, “Did he erase that too? Yes. From the grave. He died.” She shrugged. “Surprisingly, I thought he gave his life for you to succeed, but I guess that was just part of his ruse. We defeated Shido for him, and the people didn’t change. We crawled to the depths of Mementos and still could not change society. And he swept in after our failure… We all woke up here. And he took you away.”  
  
Akira shook his head, “That doesn’t seem right.”  
  
_“Don’t do this, trickster.”_ _  
_  
“If he died, how could he have put you all in here?”  
  
_“I’ll make a deal with you… The people will hail you as heroes, and you will continue on with the power to change hearts. But the will of humanity will be mine.”_ _  
_  
“You’re lying.” Akira glared at her. “Goro would never do that.”  
  
“Who else would?” Makoto sighed. “He has the motive. He always wanted attention and praise from everyone. And now he has it. And on top of all of that now he has you too.”  
  
“You’re lying…” Akira put his hands on his hips. “You’re lying. You’re all locked up in here because you’ve done something terrible!”  
  
“We have?”  
  
“Yes! I don’t- I don’t fully understand what it is, but I feel it! I feel it when I talk to each of you!”  
  
_“I don’t want it. I don’t want the Phantom Thieves to have the world.”_ _  
_  
“Is that what you think, Akira? Has Akechi’s brainwashing been that effective?” Makoto tapped her chin with her finger. “If you’re this far gone, I won’t get through to you… But maybe Ryuji can.”  
  
“R-ryuji?” That name again. Feeling it pass through his lips made his heart stop.  
  
“He’s just down the hall. The last cell. I know because I hear him yelling at Akechi whenever he goes down there to taunt him-- to rub it in his face that he stole you away form us. From him.”  
  
“Stole me?” Akira looked down the hall.  
  
“Go see for yourself. There’s no way he’s made you forget Ryuji completely. You two had a bond stronger than any of us.”  
  
Akira watched Makoto lean back and lie down on her bed once again.  
  
So, Ryuji was at the end of the hall? Then that was where he would go.  
  
  
At the end of the hall, in the final cell, Akira found one last prisoner, just as Makoto had promised. His cell looked like it had been trashed. The bed was crooked, the walls had impressions in them from where they had been hit over and over again and a part of the sink was chipped.  
  
The boy inside was lying on his bed with his back to the bars, curled up and his eyes closed.  
  
But he heard Akira coming.  
  
“Go away, Akechi!” He barked. “I don’t give a shit about what you’re going to tell me today!”  
  
Akira stopped in front of his cell and stared. The sight of him caused something strange in his head. His chest constricted and his vision started to fill again with the white flashes and sparks from the electric chair. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His lower lip trembled, and he found himself overcome with grief.  
  
He felt sad?  
  
For this person he’d never met?  
  
“What? Are you really going to make me turn around and face you! Just Fuck off!” Akira watched Ryuji curl in on himself tighter. He sounded so angry. He sounded so hurt.  
  
_“Of course it was pretend! You didn’t really think Akira loved you, did you?”_ _  
_  
Akira put his hand over his mouth and turned away. He sounded as hurt as the prince in his nightmare.  
  
“Fine! I’ll sit up! What is i- Akira!” Ryuji jumped to his feet and rushed to the bars, slamming into them so hard Akira jumped back. “Akira! Akira, is that really you!?”  
  
Akira kept his hand over his mouth out of shock. Ryuji was looking at him with wide eyes and a bright smile. All the anger he’d been displaying just melted away.  
  
_“You should have known. Someone like you would never be special.”_ _  
_  
“It is you! Oh my god! Akira!” Ryuji reached out to him and Akira hesitantly extended his hand. The moment Ryuji could grab him, he pulled Akira forward into an embrace. “Akira! I knew you’d come back! I never stopped believing! I knew it!”  
  
Akira gasped and wiggled in Ryuji’s embrace. It was somewhat awkward and uncomfortable with the bars between them. But it was familiar.  
  
Ryuji pulled back slightly to look at him, Akira couldn’t help but smile back as Ryuji’s grin grew. He then leaned forward through the bars and kissed him. Finally, Akira had had too much. He struggled and pushed himself away, causing Ryuji to shout.  
  
“Akira! What’s wrong?”  
  
“What’s wrong? You kissed me!”  
  
“Well yeah!”  
  
“We just met!”  
  
Ryuji’s expression contorted into confusion. “Just met! Akira, it's me! Ryuji! Your boyfriend! Your best friend! I’ve known you since you got here to Tokyo!!”  
  
Akira shook his head, “I’ve never seen you-” He hesitated for a moment. Was that entirely true? “I’ve never seen you-”  
  
_“It was all just pretend, wasn’t it?”_ _  
_  
“Akira, listen! I don’t know what Akechi’s done to you! I don’t know how he did it either! But we’ll reverse it!” Ryuji started shaking the bars. “We’ll fix it, I swear! He won’t get away with this!”  
  
_“I came for you… And it was just a trap. You lied to me.”_ _  
_  
Akira put his hands over his ears, he didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t need to be fixed. Goro was already fixing him.  
  
_“Why won’t you say something!?”_ _  
_  
“I just need you to help me open this door, Akira.  Akira?”  
  
“Stop!” Akira let go of his hears and screamed so loud his voice echoed down the hall. “Shut up!  Just shut up!”  
  
He turned to Ryuji, gasping, “What is this?” Akira waved his hand around, “What is all of this!? What did you do to me!!?”  
  
“What did I do!? Akechi did this! He made this prison! He put us in here!”  
  
“For good reason I’m sure!”  
  
“Is that what he told you!?” Ryuji raised his voice over Akira’s. “Is that what that bastard said? Huh!? Was it for ‘good reason’ when he chopped up Morgana!?”  
  
“Morgana?” Akira paused. “The cat? From my nightmares?”  
  
“Oh, he didn’t bother to tell you about that, did he?” Ryuji shook his head. “He took Morgana too, after we all ended up in here. I don’t even know if he told the others… But he told me. He told me what he did. Told me to stop holding onto hope for a rescue! Because he chopped up the one person who you relied on more than me and turned them into a monster!”  
  
Akira felt the blood drain from his face, “That’s a lie… Goro would never… Never… it was just a cat…”  
  
“He still looks like a cat.” Ryuji muttered. “He trained it to watch you. It’s a little white cat, Akira.”  
  
Akira looked down at Ryuji’s feet with a hollow expression. “Tammi… Tammi was made to watch me?”  
  
“Akira…” Ryuji reached through the bars again. Akira stared at his hand. “I know Akechi’s done a lot to you. And I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to protect you… But I promise, we’ll get out of here. We’ll get the team, we’ll stick it to him and that fake Morgana! We’ll get our world back! The Phantom Thieves are not over! We’re not over!”  
  
Akira continued to stare at Ryuji’s hand and slowly reached forward and took it. The moment their hands touched the bars disappeared, allowing Ryuji to leave the cell. He pulled Akira forward into another embrace, one that Akira tentatively returned.  
  
“Come on! Let’s go get the others!” Ryuji held Akira’s hand tight as he turned, ready to run down the hall.  
  
But he never took that first step forward.  
  
Tammi was standing in the middle of the hallway, her orange eyes fixed on them and her tail flicking in annoyance.  
  
“Akira! There you are,” she sounded so sweet. “What are you doing out of the castle?”  
  
“You!” Ryuji put himself between Akira and the cat. “Stay back you fake Morgana!”  
  
Tammi chuckled, “Fake? What? You think just because I had some things fused into me, I’m fake? Oh Ryuji, you always were thick, weren’t you?” She took a few steps forward and Ryuji backed up, pushing Akira back as well. “Fusion does not ‘erase’ the base, it just becomes something new. Something better. I’m still all here… My perspective has just changed.”  
  
“That’s a lie! If you were really Morgana, you would have come to save us!”  
  
“Save you?” Tammi purred. “I don’t need to ‘save’ you. I only need to ‘save’ Akira from you!” The cat lunged forward suddenly, and Ryuji grabbed Akira and darted into his cell. As the two entered and turned around Tammi started to grow in size-- back to the monster that was attacking the queen in the dining hall.  
  
“Come on! Hurry!” Ryuji pulled Akira out of the cell and around behind Tammi as her body swelled. He looked back over his shoulder to see her standing tall enough that her shoulders brushed against the halls sides.  
  
“Akira! Come back here! The prince isn’t going to be happy!” She let out a roar before clamping her metal jaw in anger and giving chase.  
  
Terrified, Akira held onto Ryuji’s hand and ran with him.  
  
They ran past Makoto’s cell as she called out to them to hurry. They rounded the corner and passed by the blond girl’s as well. She let out a scream of fear for them as they bolted past. The entire time Tammi’s footsteps thundered behind them until they took another turn and emptied back out into the main room. Here the door was too small for Tammi’s full-sized body.  
  
She slammed into the door frame while her head extended out and she continued to growl and snap at them.  
  
“Give Akira back, Ryuji!”  
  
“Fuck off you over grown tabby!” Ryuji flicked off the cat and turned to Akira smiling.  
  
Again the sight of his smile filled Akira with a strange and welcoming warmth. He clasped Ryuji’s hand a bit tighter, before he caught a glimpse of a shadow rising up next to them. Akira quickly shoved Ryuji away from him as Laevatein came down between them.  
  
They both backed up as Loki hovered in the air over them. His knightly façade shed to display his angular and stripped form. The sword lifted from the ground and spun in the air with the wave of his hand before returning to its place under him to be used as a perch.  
  
“Well, well, well…” Goro walked into the room from the side of the hall leading to the stairs, “It looks like you finally got out, Sakamoto. Maybe I should have put your head into the guillotine.”  
  
“I bet you’d like that, asshole!” Ryuji spat. He turned and tried to reach for Akira again, only for Loki to raise his sword once more.  
  
“Goro, stop!” Akira moved away from Ryuji, fearful the now monstrous black knight would strike them. “Stop! Goro, what’s going on here?”  
  
“You’re asking me?” He laughed.  
  
“Answer him, you lunatic!” Ryuji motioned to him angrily. “Tell him the truth! Tell him how it’s your fault we’re all down here and the whole world has gone to shit!”  
  
“My fault!” Goro pointed to himself. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? But it’s not my fault! It’s yours, Sakamoto!”  
  
“Mine! How the hell is it my fault!”  
  
“You’re the one that did this! You’re the one that played this fucking game! Not me!” Goro pointed at Akira, “And you’re both still playing it! After a full year! After dragging me back form the dead! Because once wasn’t enough for you! Was it, Akira!?”  
  
Akira froze, startled. “W-what? What are you talking about? What game?”  
  
“Don’t keep pretending, Akira!”  
  
“I’m not pretending, Goro! I don’t know what’s going on-”  
  
“Then why did you come down here? Then why did you free Sakamoto!? If you’re not still faking this relationship, why did you come down here!?”  
  
“Did you ever think, maybe he just can’t love a monster like you!?” Ryuji interjected. “You’re still hanging on to it? I told you before you put that fucking shutter up! Of course it was fake! Akira’s not going to forgive and love a murderer! You should have stayed dead! It was the only good thing you ever did!”  
  
“That’s it!” Goro drew out a golden gun from his jacket pockets. “You want me to stay dead? God knows I wish I had! I had nothing! And the only thing I thought I had in the world was just to use me! Just to distract me so you idiots could get at Shido! And get all the glory and fame for being heroes- You’re nothing! You’re all nothing but trash!”  
  
“Goro, please!” Akira shouted at him distressed he moved forward to run but felt himself stopped. Behind him Tammi had shrunk back down and crept up behind him. She bit down on his dress and pulled back to hold him in place. Despite her size she was powerful.  
  
“Hold him there, Ammit!” Goro turned to Akira, a sneer on his face. “You’re going to watch this. And then we’re going to see how much of a liar you really are!”  
  
“Fuck you, if you think I’m going to take this lying down-!” Ryuji rushed forward while Goro wasn’t facing him. He grabbed at his wrist and pushed back trying to take the gun from him.  
  
“Let go!” Goro shouted at the two struggled kicking and punching at each other with their free hands. Loki hoovered behind Goro, drawing his sword and waiting for the chance to strike.  
  
“Ryuji!” Akira felt his mind filling with electricity again.  
  
_“I didn’t want this.”_  
  
“Goro, stop!” The white sparks and flashes were making it hard for him to see who was winning.  
  
_“We were supposed to be heroes… To inspire hope...”_ _  
_  
“You’re going to kill someone!”  
  
“That’s the point!” The surge in his mind was dragging something forward, something heavy. Something at the very core of him.  
  
_“But we’re not heroes…”_ _  
_  
A shot went off and Goro stumbled back, his hand dripping with blood. Ryuji had won the struggle and now pointed the weapon at him.  
  
_“I used him… Someone that needed me.”_ _  
_  
Loki let out a shrill scream and swung its burning blade down.  
  
_“A victim, like everyone else… And we didn’t care.”_ _  
_  
Akira clutched at his head and screamed. The power coursing through him pushed out in a brilliant white light. It came off his face and started to burn in blue flames.  
  
_“Humanity doesn’t need the Phantom Thieves. Humanity needs Justice.”_ _  
_  
The blue fire extended outward like a large pair of wings. It twisted up from its middle into a tall shape with angular horns pointing outward.  
  
“Oh,” Ammit whispered, letting go of Akira’s dress. “It’s so heavy, the weight of your heart…” Her voice was barely audible over the sparking filling Akira’s ears.  
  
“Devour it then! Don’t wait!”  
  
“Not this one!” Robin said, “It’s different.”  
  
“I feel it too…”  
  
The figure in the fire twisted and changed, its wings splitting once, twice, again and again until ten extended from its body, each burning with feathers of brilliant, vibrant colors, like a kaleidoscope. Its horns turned downward to curve around its face and became red in color while its eyes split as well, increasing from two to six. Its body turning gold and black, while armor of the same color began to mold into shape over its torso and legs. It lost its lanky form and swoll in mas to a more muscular and dominant shape. Finally a black halo adorned with wings circled over its head.  
  
_“I have a confession to make… I think I really loved him.”_ _  
_  
Akira let out a scream as the creature extended its wings. An aura of feathers and colors filled the room before being overtaken by a white flash that filled the room and his mind.  
  
  
  
“Akira!”  
  
“Akira, you cannot sleep until noon again!”  
  
Akira felt a weight jump up on the end of his bed. It slowly made his way over to him before he felt a paw jabbing into his side.  
  
“Akira!”  
  
“I’m awake, Ammit, I’m awake…” Akira pulled the covers off from over his head and sighed. He knew full well that the static from the sheets had left his hair more of a mess than usual. Still he tried to tame some of it by running his fingers through his bangs and through the longer parts of his hair.  
  
“Thank you for waking me,” he reached out and scratched under the cat’s chin, eliciting a purr from her chest.  
  
“If you slept much longer, you’d miss Goro’s interview.”  
  
“Oh, right!” Akira stopped scratching her chin and rolled over to his side. He reached over to the night stand and grabbed the remote there. Across from the end of his queen-sized mattress a flat screen TV hung on the wall. He turned the power on and flipped through the stations until he saw his fiancé’s smiling face.  
  
“-Prime Minister Shido completely backs the SIU’s efforts. The new reform program Deputy Director Nijiima has put in place has massively cut down on crime.”  
  
“But there are still deviants out there, Akechi-san!” One of the interviews cried out with an exaggerated worried tone, “After all, not all of those dreadful Phantom Thieves were apprehended!”  
  
“That’s true… But rest assured, so long as I am here. I will not let them plague the citizens of Tokyo ever again.”  
  
The audience clapped and cheered at Goro’s statement.  
  
“He always looks so handsome on TV,” Ammit tilted her head.  
  
Akira sighed and fell back onto his mattress, “Yes but when is he going to let me go on TV with him? He’s not the only one reforming hearts! Plus, we’re partners…”  
  
Ammit chuckled, “He won’t take you on set because he knows you’ll fight those fangirls.”  
  
“They deserve it,” Akira rolled over and turned his body so that he could keep watching the television while lying down. On the nightstand his phone buzzed a few times, but he ignored it.  
  
Annoyed by his complacency over the call, Ammit walked over and eyed he screen, “Futaba is messaging you. She says there’s a problem down below.”  
  
“Wonderful. I guess Demiurge and I will go check it out since Goro is busy.”  
  
“I should come too, you seemed like you were having a rough nightmare last night.” Akira pushed himself to sit up again as Ammit watched him. “Anything you want to talk to me about?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Anything you _should_ talk to me about?”  
  
Akira laughed, “I don’t need rehabilitation any more, you know. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. Something just best forgotten.”  
  
“As long as you’re not pretending to be well like last time! And I have to save you from Shadows again!”  
  
“I’m not pretending, Ammit.” Akira rolled his eyes. “I honestly mean it, everything is fine.”  
  
“The world is just as I want it to be.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Art Piece for this fic!  
> [By Salmonandsoup for the BB!](https://salmonandstudiopaint.tumblr.com/post/183156159204/i-was-a-participant-in-the-persona-5-big-bang)  
> [ Surprise Fanart by TwilightKnight!](http://twilightknight17.tumblr.com/post/183464836724/in-this-world-there-is-a-palace-where-everything)
> 
> Gemstone Meanings:  
> Ruby: Passion/Love; Advancement of a good match; Win a rival of Love  
> Pearl: Purity/Innocence; For a wedding gift means ‘brings tears to a marriage’; For a childless couple to increase the chance of a happy child birth.  
> Diamond: Purity/Perfection; Leadership and changing destiny  
> Opal: Bad Luck; When paired with a diamond negative properties are negated
> 
> Shadows/Persona:  
> ‘Queen’ Mother Harlot: Gives birth to the Seven Sins. The red jewelry is the blood from her cut wrist and neck. The blood jewelry is also used to control the snakes- her life controls her child. The snakes wear crowns in contrast to Goro’s rising perfect bird, are broken and defeated. Instead of a cup of humanity’s filth and debauchery, its a cup she fills with her own sorrows and mistakes- her personal filth. Causes status effects/debuffs.
> 
> Tammi/Ammit: Fused from Morgana, Cu Chulainn, and Cerberus. Ammit is the Egyptian ‘feline’ Goddess that sits at the left side of the scales of Justice in the underworld. She devours hearts of those entering the underworld if their heart is heavy with sin. Morgana for a base; Cu Chulainn for loyalty/servitude and ‘battle frenzied beast’; Cerberus for guardian (of Akira and this ‘underworld’ setting). Ammit acts backwards for most of Morgana’s actions. Her focus is the loss of memories, she awakens Akira each day. But she is still Morgana at her core and loves him and wants him to grow and be happy. Morgana’s past dialogue on Akechi is not given intentionally, all of Morgana’s feelings on the matter can be seen through Ammit’s interactions with Akira and Akechi.
> 
> Demiurge: ‘Lesser’ Evil God accredited with creating the world. Also know in text as Yaldabaoth. Instead of manifesting the ultimate Trickster, Akira manifest the highest selfish god that took credit for creating the world. Arsene was born from the danger of Ryuji being killed, Demiurge is born from the danger of Ryuji killing. (Don’t at me. You can canonically have Satan, Helel, and Satanel as your stock. Akira can have Demiurge while Yaldabaoth exist in the world)


End file.
